The Son of Wolf and Dove
by Tytue
Summary: " Can we not be together without the aftertaste of war?" Sequel to Chasing the Moon. Connor and Uduak face the consequences of their complicated relationship and the darker side of themselves as they attempt to raise their son Ngozi in a world without justice or true freedom. Lang. Viol. Themes. Please read and review. Feedback wanted.
1. Chapter 1

**Uduak**

It was raining. The drops sounded like tiny pattering footsteps at they came down upon the wooden roof of the church. All else was silence.

The doors opened, sending in a flood of evening light, and footsteps approached where I sat between the pews.

I came to the church not for the prayer, for I had my own Gods, but for the silence it brought. Within the walls of the church there was silence, peace. Such things I needed in my troubled time.

The sound of footsteps arose behind me, followed by the steady patter as rain water dripped to the floor from soaked clothing. His steps were calm, observing, much like a predator hunting its prey, unaware of the prey's next move.

" It is done."

" Is this what you want?" I asked. I'd asked the question a hundred times, once more would not hurt.

" It is what you want," he answered, and for the hundredth time more my heart skipped a beat.

I shook my head, sending loose, tangled hair trickling across my cheeks and down my shoulders. My fingers tightened around the pew in front of me, and without meaning to my eyes glanced up to fall upon the cross perfectly lined against the front of the church, the carved image of the man named Jesus crucified upon it.

" It is what is necessary," he added.

" What of the others? There are still those out there who need-"

" It is done," he said his voice firm.

" Yes," I said, softly. " Of course."

I moved to stand, my trembling hands barely supporting my weight as I gained my footing. I turned slowly to him, willing my face to show nothing more than acceptance, instead of sadness and regret.

He stood before me, tall and bold, arms outstretched, in his hands the folded clothe of his robe, atop it the sword I had forged for him, covered and harmless.

His offering to me, his promise.

_What will taking all that he worked for make me? _

He did not rush me, as I slowly with violently trembling hands reached for his offering, his surrender. When my hands finally fell upon the bundle of cloth and metal they did so with perfect stillness.

The weight of it all felt foreign to my arms, and I fell back onto my knees, unable to grasp the weight of it. The sword-his surrender fell from my hands onto the floor as I sat back weeping.

* * *

**Connor**

_What is it that you really want Uduak? _

He wished to ask her, but the words failed him as he walked beside Uduak examining a pomegranate the merchant was showing to her.

" Straight from Asia," the merchant said. "Sweet as an crisp apple. Here a sample for the lady." He lifted a bowl of red, flesh covered seeds.

" May I?" Uduak asked.

" Of course," the merchant said.

She removed her glove, reached into the bowl and took a pinch of seeds. Juice dribbled down her fingertips as she brought the dripping seeds to her lips and enclosed them in her mouth.

Eyes closed she savored the taste of the fruit, a small smile on her lips.

" Do you like them?" The merchant asked.

She opened one eye slowly, then the other. " Excuse my ignorance sir, but do I shallow the seeds?"

" Ah no," he said chuckling. " You spit them out."

She did so with as much grace as she could muster, slipping a small clothe from her bosom as the last seed was discarded and gently wiping her lips with it.

" I will take two to of those sir," she said reaching for her purse.

Connor had the money ready before she could open her purse. He slid the money into the merchant's hands.

" Have your pick of the lot," the merchant said.

He watched her considering her options for a moment before the sudden rush of people, then the call of voices caught his attention. Without thinking he trailed towards it, following the crowd, blending without meaning to.

The crowd took him to a dais, atop it men and women, their skins almost as black as coals stood, chained and half naked, eyes downcast.

The sight both disgusted and angered him. The auctioneer yelled from the dais calling the prices of the slaves into the crowd.

Connor and the Assassin's had been successful in their latest mission which involved freeing slaves, and eliminating those who called themselves masters. Yet after it was all done he was still dissatisfied with their progress.

_" __We cannot win them all my brother," _One of the Assassin's, a transfer from the south, named Brutus had said placing a large hand on Connor's shoulder. " _Go home, have a drink, make love to your woman. Tomorrow is another day, who knows what troubles it brings." _

He'd agreed, reluctantly and returned to the homestead where Uduak and Ngozi were waiting, just as he'd left them days before.

" Connor," Uduak called now beside him. "You know not to leave me alone; I may just buy the entire market." Her hands slipped around his arm.

"Is there something that you want?" He asked. He would buy her entire market if that is what she wanted.

She gave him a puzzled look, and then smiled.

The noise of the crowd was getting further and further away, and it took him all of an entire minute to realize she was leading him away from the dais, the slaves, the shouting actioners.

She pressed her face into his arm. " I want so much," she began.

He glanced down at her then. Her hair was curled and pulled up into a tight twisted bun, held by a tie of flowers. She wore an elaborate pale blue dress, the sleeves and ends ruffled and flaying into wisps of curled silk and clothe. She wore no paint or powder as was usually her custom, but was bare of all that wasn't the natural tint of her own skin.

She let him go suddenly, taking a few steps back away from him. Her daze was downcast as she said, " Go."

He tried to take a step towards her; she took a step back shaking her head.

"When you are finished her, return to me my wolf, I'll be waiting." She started past him, hands balled tightly in the fabric of her dress; he grabbed her forearm stopping her. Still she refused to look at him. " Don't die."

" I will try not to," he said softly a small smile catching the ends of his lips before he could stop it.

She glanced up then, her eyes steady and determined, her lips curled into a frown. " Don't. I'm too young and beautiful to be a widow."

" Uduak…" he began. She came forward then in a couple fast steps leaning up onto her toes and kissing him. When she pulled back she did so smiling. Then before he could say anymore she let him go.

He refused to watch her go, knowing that if he did we would follow her. Instead he walked forward, towards the madness.

* * *

**Myriam**

Myriam saw Connor before Uduak did. It seemed she always did. Or perhaps she was always looking. He came and went so often, that she never knew his schedule. But perhaps Uduak did. Perhaps that was why she never actively searched for him.

He stood in the doorway of the inn, shadowed and huge, his gaze focused on one thing among the hustle and bustle of the inn's pub.

Uduak.

Myriam had censed to be surprised at the amount of attention Uduak commanded. Even now, more than half of the men in the pub, mostly sailors were giving her their full attention. Shaking cups half filled with whisky, rum or beer, howling at the game of arm wrestling that would decide which man got Uduak's blessing, bestowing compliments-it went on and on almost all night with no apparent end.

Uduak was born and bred to adored, admired and noticed in more than one way. Myriam knew that the moment she met Uduak, all premed and painted, demanding attention without once opening her mouth. Thinking back on it, Myriam realized she hadn't much liked Uduak at the beginning for that very reason.

" After I wins this fight, the fair lady will give me a gift aye. Perhaps a sweet song, or a gentle kiss aye?" the man chuckled then winced as his hand began to fall under the strain.

Uduak pressed a gloved hand over her mouth and giggled. " Perhaps," she said, " If you win."

Myriam took a sip of her ale and stood. Connor had walked fully inside the inn, and still Uduak had not noticed.

" This is a regular thing," she said approaching Connor. " You might as well take a seat. Here I'll clank my cup to get her attention. That seems to be all she hears."

She let her eyes roam over Connor's face, the frown he always carried, his attentive gaze.

_He always looks so focus and intense…yet sad. _She'd only seen him truly smile in front of her a hand full of times, grin once. The sights were as rare as shooting stars, and just as beautiful.

_He always smiles for Uduak…_They were small, sudden almost unnoticeable smiles, Myriam doubted Uduak even saw them, so busy she was watching for everything else. But Myriam did. She should not be, noticing something so private, so intimate, but she could not help it.

" I did not know she worked here," Connor said suddenly breaking her thoughts. His eyes had moved from Uduak to the men arm wrestling at the table. One was an inch away from winning and was not shy about announcing it. Beside them Uduak glanced on pretending flattery and surprise.

Connor's frown deepened.

_Uduak can't you see your hurting him…_

Without thinking Myriam clinked her now empty cup against the table. Uduak, noticing the familiar sound glanced up.

Myriam grinned and pointed at Connor. Uduak's eyes widened.

" You did not have to do that," Connor said. He did not sound angry, nor gracious, but strangely aloof. Still his eyes said something else entirely as he watched Uduak slide from behind the counter.

" I needed a refill," Myriam said forcing herself to look away from him, from the flash of want and hope that crossed over his face as Uduak approached.

_Out of all the women…and he chose Uduak…_There was no doubt in Myriam's mind that he was in love with her. Just when Myriam was starting to believe she couldn't imagine Connor being with anyone, letting anyone truly know him, Uduak proved her wrong.

Still, for all the happiness Uduak showed now, Myriam often saw differently when Connor was not around. Uduak spent most of her time at her home, or within the walls of the church. Sometimes on bent knee or sitting her back against the pews eyes closed. She never told Myriam what was wrong, and Myriam doubted she ever would again. The time for that was over. Even through Myriam had kept the secret of Ngozi from Connor, she'd sworn she would not keep something like that from him again.

It was hard to think about, Myriam realized, for there was once a time when she, herself was in love with Connor, and at times, as embarrassing as it might be, wondered if she still was. Perhaps it was his strength, how he could take down wolves, bears….men with his bare hands, which had always been a point she looked for in men. Or his bravery and valor, he so often defended and helped the weak and needing without being asked or seeking anything in return.

_Or it could be his looks…_Myriam thought. He was handsome, with his hard almost stone like features, and built stature. He reminded Myriam of the painted pictures of Greek Gods, from books on canvases. Certainly the older women of the homestead had no complaints or shame for that matter when they called upon him to help with their daily chores. Even Prudence had blushed and nearly swooned when she happened upon a shirtless Connor helping Warren repair a leak in her roof.

" Connor…I wasn't expected you back so soon," Uduak said pushing back a stray piece of hair that had trailed in her face. " Myriam how long have you two been sitting here?" She turned her now concerned hazel eyes on Myriam. Her brows furrowed, and her mouth set into a frown.

Myriam couldn't help but smile. Uduak was not good at frowning. The action alone made her look like some mask on a stage during a play.

" Relax," Myriam said. " It's only been a few minutes."

Uduak looked to Connor for confirmation. He nodded solemnly.

Uduak let out a sigh of relief but she still looked concerned. " Were the two of you testing me?" She asked stubbornly. " To see how long it would take me to notice you came in?"

_" __I must know my wants from my needs…" _

_Why am I thinking of that now_…

Her thoughts were drifting to the day of her wedding, her marriage to Norris. She'd ran away, under the pretense that she was afraid of becoming a housewife, of adhering to the standards set by men, but that was only part of it. She'd run away because she'd felt guilty, guilty that perhaps she had loved another more than Norris, and was merely settling.

_" __I want you…" _She'd said in a huffed desperation. The words had come out, uncontrolled like bile, and once she released them they were impossible to put back in. Still Connor had said nothing for a long time, not until she finally turned to face him.

_" __You need Norris." _He'd said the words so clear and confidently that they'd melted all resistance Myriam felt in her heart.

She could only guess that Uduak was who he needed.

" You will get no tip from me," Myriam said laughing. She placed a hand on Uduak's shoulder.

A roar erupted from the counter then as the winner had rein victorious and all eyes turned to Uduak. She grinned from where she stood, pushing down her wrinkled dress, before throwing up her hands.

" A sweet song was it?" Uduak said.

The man grinned, he was old and missing most of his teeth. " Or a sweeter kiss," he said.

Uduak trailed across the room to where he stood. " A kiss it is then." She pressed palm of her hand to her lips and blew him a kiss. The man roared then clutched his heart.

" Lads I think I be in love."

Uduak ever the great actor blushed and bowed before announcing her leave, signaling a surge of protests.

Myriam rolled her eyes at the show, laughing when Uduak stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes in a silly expression.

" See you tomorrow Myriam," she said taking her place by Connor.

_She is so small compared to him…_Myriam thought as she examined the two of them standing side by side.

" Wouldn't miss it for even the biggest stag in the forest," Myriam said. " Goodnight Uduak. Connor."

He nodded at her, and left the pub, Uduak following, her dress the color of the sky trailing behind her.

As the door shut, the tendrils of something Myriam could not quite describe arose and wrapped around her heart.

* * *

**Connor**

" You work in the inn now?" Connor asked his voice coming out harsher than he intended. It had been a while since he saw her act that way.

She turned to him then, her head cocked to the side, her full lips parting in a grin, revealing the glint of teeth, pulling the fullness of lips.

" Are you jealous Mr. Kenway."

He refused to look at her, at her teasing face and twitching lips that were seconds away from a laugh.

" No," he said stubbornly.

" They asked me to help. A ship full of sailors took dock today."

" We have money," he said.

" It was not about the money," she corrected.

" What is it that you need?" He asked. Whatever it was she wanted he would give, she need not ask twice. She should have known by now that she was to want for nothing.

She sighed heavily, " I need you to stop trying to start an argument. There are more pressing matters to attend to."

He let the matter go for the moment, falling silent to give Uduak time to speak.

" Tomorrow is Ngozi's baptism," she said. It was Ngozi's Sixth name day as well, Connor knew. " He also wants his markings," she added touching her own shoulders where her swirls of tattoos lay. " Circe has agreed, but I do not know. Ngozi understand that the baptism by Father Timothy is necessary, expected even as a child of the Homestead…but this…"

Connor understood her blight. Uduak was very protective of the boy, she was his first born after all, and all she had when Connor was not around, but in some ways her sense of need to protect him also crippled Ngozi. Connor knew full well the feeling of overwhelming love that a boy could feel for his mother, but also the overbearing smothering of her embrace.

" I agree, in this there must be some consideration, Connor said." But in some things you must let him choose."

Uduak nodded, " Perhaps you should speak to him. He tells me so very little anymore," she sounded saddened by this. " Whenever you can of course."

" I will see him tonight." Connor answered.

Uduak raised one black eyebrow. " You will be here that long?"

He nodded, and she wrapped a firm arm around his own, and pulled herself close, purposely pressing the curve of her body into his side. Her skin was warm, almost feverous through the cloth of his robe.

It was strange, how just the mere touch of her skin, the sound of her voice made him feel. It was a mixture of being weak and strong at the same time, knowing and not knowing.

" Thank you," she said her face still pressed into his arm. "For caring. It makes me happy."

_She says these words and yet she does not look happy…_

" You do not look well," he said.

She glanced away, " I am fine."

She was lying, and the knowledge of that lie, angered him. Still he did not let it show.

" Are the Assassin's here as well?"

" They are in the Manor."

She kept her gaze down. " All of them?"

He knew what it meant without having to ask.

He nodded, " All from the south."

" Yes of course," she said.

She's wanted to say more, he could see it in the curve of her lips and brow, the way her nails dung into the soft flesh of her palms. Since that day in the church when he'd offered her everything he had to give and she refused to take it, when it came to matters of the Assassin's she often held her tongue.

_This is not what she wants…_he thought. Yet were he to try and quit, to give up everything yet again, she would leave him. This he was sure of. The thought of it, of her leaving him again, forever was too much to bear.

" Connor."

He turned at the sound of his name to see Aveline coming towards them. Uduak's hand stiffened about his arm.

" Madame Uduak," she said, " A pleasure to see you again."

" You as well Aveline," Uduak said.

" Such an elegant dress," Aveline said. " It is quite beautiful on you."

Uduak smiled. " It is the handwork of our local seamstress," Uduak let his arm go. " But I doubt you've come to speak of dresses and the like," she said wiping her gloved hands against her dress as if wiping the matter off. "It is Connor you want I presume?"

" With your leave of course," Aveline said sounding amused.

Uduak smiled. " Of course."

Aveline nodded, and Connor took a step forward. Uduak moved out of his way, hesitating for a moment before heading towards her home. He watched her go warily, before turning back around to face Aveline.

" Everything is in place," she said. " They will return in a couple of hours. I regret to say we may need your help."

Connor nodded slowly.

Aveline reached out a hand and touched his shoulder, " Until then my brother." Then she was gone back out into the night.

When he'd finally found the will, he traveled up the path to Uduak's home, he expected Ngozi to spring from the house, only to find that he was bathing himself and the wolf pup.

" Do not distract him," Brianna said, " He will see you when he is done." Then she led up him the stairs to Uduak's room.

Slowly, and with sore tired legs, Connor followed her stopping at the door. Uduak stood by her vanity stand, gone was her sky colored dress, so that all she wore was her shift, petticoat and stay. She'd pulled out the band of flowers holding her hair up, so that the once tight curls now bounced loosely over her shoulders, and her bangs trailed in her face.

Walking to the bed, Brianna, looking as wiry and tireless as ever, gathered up the discarded dress. She regarded Connor with cold brown eyes, before turning to Uduak, asking without words if she wished for her to stay. It was times like this that made Connor wonder whether the old woman still saw herself as Uduak's mistress than she did her guardian and adopted mother.

Uduak nodded slowly, eyes downcast, and Brianna left the room holding the dress. Connor knew very little about dresses, but he could tell it was the work of Ellen. From his understanding the woman was obtaining a good number of rich clients from the city, and often called on Uduak to model her dresses in exchange for being able to keep them. He could only assume the dress Brianna was taking away was one such case. Even so, the dress was beautiful on her. He could not imagine anyone else wearing it, and looking nearly as beautiful as Uduak had.

_Should I have told her that before? _He was new to this, and the complications of relationships were lost on him. The women in the homestead had tried, subtly of coarse, to coach him on such matters. Pointing out whenever Uduak was around how beautiful or refreshing she looked, cooing him to do the same, or mentioning something Uduak had said to them as jest, hoping he would get the message and prompt into action. Such things when carried out awkwardly, gained him a small smile, a light touch on the arm, or in extreme cases a queer puzzled look.

" She is very beautiful," Uduak said breaking his line of thought. He glanced up, not knowing to who she was referring. " Aveline," Uduak finished without hesitation.

Connor said nothing. He knew he should not deny nor accept that statement. For it would end the same either way.

" That dress suited you," he said instead the words coming out harsher than he intended them to.

" I suppose so," she said. A small smile touched the ends of her lips. " I have gone so long not wearing them, or a proper stay for that matter, that I've forgotten how uncomfortable they are." She shifted uncomfortably, pressing her hands against her straightened back. " It took Brianna and I two hours to dress. If only dressing were as easy as undressing."

She folded her arms across her chest and walked to her vanity stand where jars of rose water and half-filled tins of power and paint sat.

" Do you have to meet with them tonight?" She asked suddenly.

" Yes," he said slowly. " If they need me."

" Yes of course," she said her hand falling on a teacup. She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip. When she sat it down, Connor noticed her hands were shaking. " I should go to Brianna…to get out of these undergarments. You should rest until then, you look exhausted." Her words sounded forced. He could tell she was not happy with the decision, the fact made even more clear as he took the furthest route through the room as not to pass directly by him.

_This is hard for her…but it must be this way. _She'd been in enough danger already throughout the years, the time for that was over. He was going to make newer enemies, stronger enemies that would do anything to hinder his mission, hurt anyone. He would keep her and Ngozi out of their sights and their minds.

When she returned filling the room with the scent of rose water, he was no closer to rest than he had been when she left. Instead he lay stilly on her bed, rid of his heavy weapons, and hot robe, eyes closed, taking in the scents of paints and perfume. He'd been thinking of the days ahead of the missions he would soon have, the slaves that would be free, the dangers and enemies he would make, and how he would handle it all.

Sometimes it felt like to much, like he would collapse under the strain of it all.

The feeling of the bed shifting beside him, and the softness of flesh against his arm brought him back to reality, to the situation at hand. He turned to face her, to see she'd dressed in her nightclothes.

She frowned at him. " Why are you not sleeping?"

_How can I sleep? At a time like this? _

" I am not tired."

Her frown did not move. " You should rest," she said, " You may not get another chance-"

" I am much more concerned for you," he said, " And Ngozi."

She lifted the pillow and pushed it against his face. Familiar weight settled on his lap. He lifted the pillow to find Uduak had straddled him. She furrowed her eyebrows and leaned in closer to him, until their noses brushed, and her loose hair tickled his cheeks. Her breath smelled of camille mint tea and honey.

" Do you truly think me so weak?" She asked her voice soft yet demanding. " That I cannot care for myself and our son?"

He knew not the words to say. He did not see her as completely weak yet he felt the overwhelming need to protect her, to shield her from the worst the world could offer, even though he knew she's seen and experienced the most of it, long before he had.

It was what he'd felt in the inn, as he watched her carelessly flit among the men, seemly unaware of what most of them were capable of.

She kissed him, before he could answer. He opened his mouth under hers, a swift movement that sent a sigh of breath between them, as refreshing as a cool drink of water on a hot summer day.

She pulled back first, denying him as he leaned forward to capture her lips again, to bring back the feeling of her embrace. It was times like this that he forgot the sadness at the death of his mother, and Achilles, his people leaving, the state of the country.

She pressed her hand against the side of his face, and leaned in as if to kiss him, only to pull away at the last second and brush her lips against the side of his jaw, down his neck.

" Or are you afraid someone will take all that you've fought for away?" She asked her lips against his skin. When she finally moved back up to capture his lips again, the kiss was rough and urgent. Slender fingers slipped under cotton of his shirt to the warm skin of his chest, moving over scar and muscle, as if trying to memorize every dint, ridge, imperfection. The feeling of cool fingers, brushing against newly formed bruises, and tiny cuts, felt good, refreshing. It was almost enough to make him fall asleep right then and there.

When her fingertips brushed over new freshly bandaged wounds she paused and pulled away.

The wound, caused by a graze from a axe, settled on the skin right above his heart. A flesh wound, that was easily sewed and treated with no major complications. Yet by the look on her face, one would think it was she who received the wounding blow and not himself.

He opened his mouth to speak, to explain what had happened and she kissed him silent. When she finally pulled back they both were breathless. Her hands slid up to cup both sides of his face, and hold his head still, forcing him to look at her.

" I love you ," she said suddenly her fingers trembling. "Regardless of anything else, anyone else. I care nothing for the Gods or fate. I am yours, Connor Kenway. Nothing or no one can take me from you. Do not forget that."

He expected—wanted her to say that he was hers, but she did not, instead she pressed herself closer to his form, until he could feel the complete and utter softness of her, count the beats of her heart, time the rhyme of her breathing.

_This was to much. She was too much. _He did not come here for this, but to speak to her. On the matter of their son, her health, what she needed-wanted. But somehow she always managed to distract him-and somehow he always let her.

She trailed downwards, moving over his chest , her breath moving through the clothe of his shirt. She continued pulling up his shirt, pressing her lips to his skin, running her tongue over the ridge of muscle and bone, stopping when she reached his groin, the barrier of strings tied into knots that held his trousers up.

He expected her to come back up, to kiss him again, but she merely continued her deft fingers unloosing the strings. She pulled his member from its holdings.

He grabbed her shoulders then, pulling her up.

It had been over a month since he'd slept with her. Because neither of them were in the mood, to tired, or to busy, or angry at one another for something said, done, or not done.

He would be lying if he said he did not want her. But did she want him? Or did she merely feel obligated? So often she'd attempted to distract him, and so often he'd let her. He had no way of knowing if this was one of those times.

She frowned. "They are not here for you yet are they?"

" No," he said reluctantly. She took one of his hands from her shoulder, pressed his fingertips against her lips.

"Don't fret," she whispered kissing his fingertips, the palm of his hand. "I'll take care of you." she moved forward kissing his neck, sliding the fabric of his shirt off his form to continue her descent where he'd stopped her.

He opened his eyes against the gleam of candle, the feel of his arm going numb as Uduak lay against him, sound asleep. He slipped from her grasp gently, careful not to wake her and stood. She squirmed again, frowned then settled. He examined her sleeping for a long moment, how she lay mouth slightly agape, snoring softly, both her arms loosely crossed over her stomach.

Redressing as quietly as he could he slipped out of the room, down the hall to where Ngozi slept. He opened the door the boy's room and eased inside careful not to wake him.

The covers stirred, then fell to the side, revealing a grey, black spotted wolf pup. The pup glanced up at Connor with eyes the color of amber, then jumped from the bed to pounce about Connor's feet, nipping playfully at his fingers.

_Ngozi. _Connor kneeled beside the bed, hoping the boy had decided to play hid and seek; only to find he was not there, neither was he in the closet.

Still excited the wolf pup ran to the window seal, and with black spotted paws began to hit the partly opened window.

Connor sighed heavily, and walked to the open window. A soft blow of wind streamed in cooling the room. He glanced down out of the window, expecting to see Ngozi hanging from the frame, knowing he'd had taken to climbing the trees and the houses, against Uduak's wishes, following Connor's actions as she jump from obstacle to obstacle.

_Creak. _

He turned suddenly, catching just a glimpse of the figure before it leapt. Reaching out with both hands he grabbed the leaping figure seconds before they could collide.

" I almost got you," Ngozi said as Connor held him still.

" You almost did," Connor said sitting Ngozi down.

" Fenrir gave me away," Ngozi said growling at the wolf pup, who whined and cowered behind Connor's legs.

" Ngozi, I most go," Connor said turning the boy's attention back to the task at hand.

" Where are you going now?" He asked.

" With the Assassin's," Connor said, " You must-"

" Take care of Mother, I know," he said. " I will." Ngozi paused, then glanced down, his hazel eyes searching the floor beside his bare feet before asking warily, " Why does Mother cry when you leave?"

Connor furrowed his eyebrows at the boy, his unspoken question hanging in the air.

Ngozi nodded, finally beginning understanding after so long with Connor, his father's unspoken ques.

" She cries and then she makes tea and for a little while she stops, then she starts again. She thinks I cannot see her, but I do. Her and Grandmother Bri argue all the time, she says that Mother should stop drinking the tea because it's not good for her." Ngozi rubbed his head, a sign that he was trying to remember something he'd forgotten. " Poppy," he said suddenly. " That's what Grandmother called it. She-"

Connor pressed a hand to Ngozi's cheek silencing him. " All is well," he replied softly. " Do not worry."

Ngozi glanced away. " I'm not it's just-"

The sound of a knock at the door silenced Ngozi's words. Connor stood knowing it was the Assassin's. Only they would arrive at such a late hour.

" Fath-" Ngozi began, when Connor bent down to take the boy in his arms, hugging him close. He was getting bigger and bigger each day; soon he would tower over the other children.

A roaster croaked in the yard, signaling the start of a new day.

_Six…my son is six today…_Connor thought as he sat the boy down. Red faced and embarrassed Ngozi took a few awkward steps back. _A year older than I was when I lost my mother…_

" Six," Connor said softly pressing his hand to Ngozi's messy hair covered head.

" Yes," Ngozi said softly.

" Connor." He glanced towards the door to see Aveline standing at the door her face filled with urgency. " I am sorry but we need your help."

" Of course," he said following her out the door, pausing for half a second to glance back at Ngozi, still red faced, glaring down at his feet, the wolf pup beside him whimpering for attention.

_He is angry…_Connor knew it was because he was yet again leaving. Yet like his mother, Ngozi would say nothing, convinced this was for the best.

He started to call Ngozi's name, if nothing else to have the boy look up, so that he could see his son's eyes before he left. Connor never knew when each night would be his last. But the insistent calling of his name stopped him.

Regretfully he turned from the sight of Ngozi and continued down the stairs once again back into the madness.

* * *

**Hey guys back with the sequel to Chasing the Moon. I'll be transferring from a community college to a large campus ( USC) cough cough. Go Gamecocks! So hopefully I'll have enough time to at least update this fanfic every 2-3 weeks. Setting Goals, yay! **

**Anyway I plan on making this fanfic one that dives into the negative and at times positive aspects of Connor and Uduak's relationship. ( You know like normal couples) and the strain that Connor continuing his work will have on their life and relationship. Because lets face it guys, it can't always be cuddles, sex, puppies and rainbows. These guys are going to get hit with a lot. And if you've read the bio ( hope I did not give to much away) they will be facing a potential loss of a child, racism, the outside influences and feelings of others. **

**Connor is going to see a side of Uduak he's seen before, but does not like, and likewise, Uduak is going to see a side of Connor that is likely to scare the hell out of her. **

**Also if you guys haven't already noticed, I will do a lot of switching back and forth between other characters that are not Uduak. So she will not be the primary narrator of the story. **

**Info: **

**Petticoat- An article of clothing worn by women that is to be worn under a skirt or a dress. It was usually worn by 18th century women to give the skirt above it a fashionable shape. Hence the reason why most of their skirts appear so large. **

**Shift- Also called a chemise, also a part of the undergarments of 18th century women, was a simple garment ( 18th century version of a t-shirt) worn under the corset and petticoat. **

**Stay- or a corset was used to both straighten and shape the torso of women ( and some men), into the desired shape of a V. They were usually very tight, and uncomfortable. But hey beauty hurts...* Fun Fact* George Washington wore stays a child, that is how he achieved his sloping pulled back shoulders* **

**Slave Auctions- Very common in the 18th century, they were usually held in wide open spaces or the confides of warehouses and displayed slaves ( usually Africans) in the open naked or poorly dressed to be examined and picked over like livestock, for the highest bidders. **

**Yes I threw Aveline in there-no I am not sorry. Will their be shipping? I don't know...as if I have a plan when I write this stuff. Pfffew! **

**GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK! **


	2. Beast

**Hi. Another Chappy for you! **

**Enjoy guys! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed 3. I just enjoy messing with the story lines! **

**Read. Review. Enjoy all that jazz. **

* * *

**Ngozi **

Fenrir woke Ngozi the next morning, as he did almost every morning by licking him, and bouncing up and down on his chest. Ngozi was half asleep. The book he'd been reading the night before, _Prose Elda_ was tucked neatly under his pillow. He'd started reading it a few weeks before Fenrir was born, despite everyone's protest that it was too large and complicated a book for someone as young as him to be reading.

But he read anyway, making it a point to underline the verses he did not understand to ask his father and mother when they were not busy. They did not seem to mind that he much preferred books of Greeks Gods and Goddesses, and heroic tales of Odin and Beowolf, over the books the other children were reading about fairies and stupid women who could not keep up with their shoes. After all, most of the books he had, he'd gotten off his Father's shelf in the Manor.

It was from the tales of Odin and his Sons that he'd gotten the idea to name Fenrir, the runt of Obi's latest litter.

_" __Just wait," _he'd told his Mother as he held the frail, sickly pup in his arms, _" He'll grow up to be a big strong wolf like Fenrir in the stories, and it'll take more than a hundred men to stop him." _

It was from that day on that Ngozi called the wolf by the name Fenrir, and while he was still small for a pup, Ngozi had no doubt he'd grow up to be bigger than even Obi or any of the other wolves.

" Fenrir," Ngozi said holding the still bouncing wolf pup still, " Calm down." Almost immediately Fenrir fell still, his bushy grey tail the only thing shaking behind him. " Do you want to go outside."

Fenrir's tail quickened.

" Go. Go."

The wolf jumped from the bed then out of the open door and down the hall.

Ngozi could hear his mother opening the door and letting him out, then the loud footsteps of someone as they walked in. It was not his father, because he never made any noise when he walked, not even in the woods, surrounded by dried leaves and sticks. It was a skill Ngozi hoped to one day learn, but hadn't yet succeeded in doing so.

He would practice now, he decided, since he was temporary rid of Fenrir who would blow his cover. He slipped from his bed and gently lowered himself onto the floor, already having partly memorized which sections of the floor creaked the loudest.

It was not his Mother he was hiding from, but Brianna. For someone so old she had wonderful hearing.

He made it to the top of the stairs, where he could hear part of the conversation below.

" Well pups don't stay pups forever." It was Dr. Lyle's voice. He sounded concerned. " He'll be big one day."

Dr. Lyle had been coming to the house, more and more, and whenever he came around, Ngozi had to leave the room, by the request of his mother. He always wondered what they talked about, and wanted to know if any of it was about the poppy tea that made his mother happy.

" I am quite aware doctor," his mother said. " I presume you come with news?"

" Well yes," Dr. Lyle said clearing his throat. " I have been studying these past few weeks on your condition. As there are few books or resources available on the subject," he paused, Ngozi could hear the ruffling of papers. "Your birth of Ngozi, was difficult, and the fact that the both of you made it out alive, is a miracle. But I fear that his birth has left your womb weakened. You are very welcome to continue to try as you already are, but it is very unlikely you will birth another healthy child. Although the odds present a possibility of success, you will likely continue to have more failures before that happens."

A long silence past in the room, in which Ngozi could hear everything, his mother's calm breathing, and the breath of Dr. Lyle, the birds singing outside the window, his own heart thumping in his chest. He feared that they might even be able to hear him in the silence, until his mother spoke again.

" I understand," she said softly.

"I implore you to tell Connor of the-"

The wood creaked as someone stood, Ngozi could only guess it was his mother.

" How much do I owe you Doctor." The sound of money in a bag rattled across the house.

" Udua-" Dr. Lyle began.

" I insist," her voice sounded flat and lifeless. It scared Ngozi to hear his mother sound that way, when she was always so cheerful, and happy, even when she cried, she was always smiling.

He understood little of what they were saying, but it still concerned him that something was making her upset.

_" __Take care of your mother…" _

So far he wasn't doing a very good job.

" I will tell him."

" I am sorry, Uduak," Dr. Lyle said. The door opened, and the sound of Fenrir's footsteps echoed across the floor. He bolted up the stairs to take his place beside Ngozi, a bloody rabbit locked in his jaw.

Ngozi stood from his crouched position and walked down the stairs, to where his mother stood in the kitchen, hands folded over her mouth, as she muzzled her own cries.

" Mother," he called.

She did not turn. Her shoulders and hands shook.

He called her again, and this time she turned, smiling, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She bent down in front of him, taking his hands in her own. " My little wolf," she said her voice breaking. Her eyes were still red, and tear filled. " Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat."

" Fenrir brought a hare," Ngozi said beckoning to the wolf pup still holding the hare.

She did not look at the wolf, nor the hare, but continued to glance at Ngozi. " Then hare soup it is." She touched his cheek, " Go, help Brianna heat water for your bath, everyone is expecting you to be nice and clean today."

She let him go and stood turning her back on him. Usually he would argue with her, try and find every reason why he should not take a bath, but he could not find the strength.

" I love you Mother," he said instead, knowing that always made her smile.

Sure enough she turned and grinned at him. " I love you too, Ngozi." But even through her gleaming teeth and her crinkled lips, she still looked very, very sad.

**Myriam**

They stood, crowded on the sandy press of the river, dresses and shirts bellowing in the mid-spring air, watching as Father Timothy and his assistant, a young man from Boston stood, Ngozi between them, in the rushing water of the river. Their Sunday pants soaked to the thighs.

" Today, brothers and sisters, fellow children of God," Father Timothy said aloud, " Is an amazing milestone. Today, we come together, to celebrate and commemorate Ngozi's Christening. As we all know, it is the Christ who said, let the children come to me, so that they shall be blessed. On this day Ngozi, one of the youngest among us, has heeded his call. Let us take a lesson from the children of God, and as always, we give thanks and praise for the remarkable gift of Ngozi's life."

Myriam glanced over, at Uduak standing at the head of the crowd, her hands folded at her chest as she watched Father Timothy take Ngozi gently in his arms and dunk him in the water.

Ngozi arose, wet and stoic, his dress clothes hanging off of him like a saggy mop. He was calmer than the other children had been when they'd received their baptisms. Most came up flailing and grasping at Father Timothy's clothes as if the man had attempted to drown them, instead of save their souls.

"It is done, may the Father and the Son bless you dear child." Father Timothy said pressing a damp hand to Ngzoi's wet hair.

The wolf pup bolted in after them then, having torn his way from his holds, barking and whimpering in excitement, splashing water all over Ngozi and Father Timothy. A roar of laughs and claps arose from the crowd and Ngozi slung through the water to the shore, where a group of homesteaders followed patting Ngozi on the shoulder, and hugging him.

" It is nice, no?"

" Norris," Myriam called turning to greet him. He was grinning in only that way that Norris could grin, his large hands still dusty with gunpowder from his explosives. " I thought you weren't coming?"

He drew her in close, wrapping his arm about her waist. She did not pull back away from him, as she would have normally done, but instead glanced down at his exposed arm. She examined the muscles there, thick and veined from mining all day. It brought her a small ping of pleasure and pride that she was only woman on the homestead that knew what his arms felt like when they were wrapped around her form.

" Would not miss this for anything," Norris said.

" Are you sure it has nothing to do with Prudence making apple pie," Myriam said

" Only half I think," Norris said letting her go to trail over to Ngozi. Bending down he picked up the frowning boy and spun him around in a full circle.

" That was exciting yes?" Norris asked sitting Ngozi down.

Still frowning Ngozi looked away. " No," he mumbled.

" He dislikes anything that reminds him of a bath," Uduak said.

" Can I change now?" Ngozi asked.

" Yes. But put on the suit Ellen made you, and hurry back."

" I will," Ngozi said trailing away from the crowd.

" When did he get so big?" Prudence asked. " A year ago he was no bigger than my Hunter, now he seems ready to tower above him.

" They grow so fast," Uduak said.

" Sooner than we know they will be men, and we grandmothers," Prudence said laughing.

Uduak smiled, " I feel that way now," she said, " One would think by the way Ngozi stomps about the house, giving orders and trying to care for me, he's already a man full grown."

Myriam couldn't help but smile, what she'd said was true. "There are some days," Myriam said, "that I think he catches more game than I do."

" And quite the little charmer," Ellen said. "Every Wednesday he brings me flowers. He thinks I don't know. I look forward to it every week."

" Such a helpful lad," Diana said. " Just the day before last I was saying how much I needed a certain herb, and before I could go get it, he'd already brought a whole score over. I would hate to imagine how things would have turned around without the little man around. He's a little mini Connor he is."

Myriam watched Uduak's lips turn in a flattered smile. " I did not know he meant so much to you all."

" Of course," Prudence said, " Children are so few here in the homestead, every little soul is precious to us."

" Speaking of precious souls," Catherine said, " Should we be expecting anymore little ones anytime soon Uduak. The homestead needs daughters."

The women's faces turned to Uduak then. Blush crept up onto her cheeks, and her eyes darted to the ground.

" No…no…I could not possibly…Ngozi is handful enough, besides and I am too old."

" Old!" Ellen exclaimed. " If you are old then, I am ancient. Don't be ridiculous."

" Yes of course," Uduak said. " It is just…conceiving children is harder than I imagined…"

" Say no more," Catherine said. " We all know so very well."

A small smile brushed Uduak's lips before disappearing. Everyone trailed away then, distracted by the call of Father Timothy to gather in Mile's End to enjoy a feast for the community. Myriam started to trail behind them, but stopped when she noticed Uduak still stood behind the crowd, glancing towards the direction of her home.

" Uduak," Myriam called. " Is something wrong?"

Uduak turned to face Myriam, her eyebrows crinkled, her mouth set in a frown.

Almost immediately Uduak's worried look was replaced with one of pleasant surprise. "Everything smells so wonderful," she said. "I cannot wait to see what everyone pre-"

" Uduak…" Myriam called softly. Something was wrong and Uduak was trying to cover it up.

_God you are horrible at hiding your feelings. _Myriam thought. Uduak turned so that she was facing away from Myriam.

" We should go get something to eat befor-"

" What's wrong?" Myriam blurted before she could stop herself. It had been so long since she'd asked Uduak that question. They were not nearly as close as they were before. Somehow in the mist of all the confusions, the secrets and lies, a wall had been put between them. Now as Myriam glanced over that barrier, she saw just how alone, frightened and desperate Uduak really looked.

" There is no-"

" Uduak, you are my best friend. I wish for there to be no more complications between us…if something is wrong you can tell me."

She was speaking to much, Myriam knew this, yet she could not stop. Her words were true either way. Uduak was her best friend and closest friend, alongside Prudence and Norris.

" Whatever it is you need. You can tell me."

" Humor me Myriam?" Uduak said softly.

" What?"

Uduak clapped her hands. "Now shall we go eat?" She sounded cheery, and carefree, the very imitation of a woman without a problem in the world. Uduak walked ahead of Myriam, without another word, leaving the unanswered question hanging in the air.

**Uduak **

Everyone was at the mile's end when I arrived, already settled with plates of food. Pies of beef and pork, strained vegetables and soup, fresh bread and rum littered the tables, filling the room with the satisfying smell of food. The homesteads, spoke in small groups, lingered around the bar or danced in the space between the tables, while sailors walked in and out, pipes of tobacco in their hands.

" Oi," Catherine called, " You just missed Connor. Spirited off by the children he was. He asked where you were."

"They are so fond of him," Corrine said admirably.

I made a plate consisting of soup and bread, fearing I could not stomach anything else, and trailed outside, where Connor played with the children, rounding them up one by one as they ran from him, and placing them in a makeshift circle in the dirt, dodging the fingers of the children within the circle as they reached for the bits of clothe hanging from his pockets. It was likely a game of their design, and it surprised me none that he was playing with them. Unlike the other adults, and on occasions myself, Connor did not scold the children for being children.

Perhaps they sensed, like themselves, that in some way he was also a child deep inside. Striped of the childhood he once had, peaceful and full of whimsy, replaced with hate and the raw need for vengeance.

He let one of the children grab a cloth from his pocket, then turned to snatch up the boy before he could run, only to have the other children pile on him in bunches, like sacks of potatoes, falling in his arms, on his shoulders, around his feet. He mocked struggle, falling to his knees under the pile of twisting limbs, before lifting his hands in surrender.

I couldn't help but smile. Still beneath my smile, I felt nothing but sadness, and guilt.

_When this is all over…when he head home, to the place that is most familiar, what will happen then? _

_I have to tell him… I have to burden him with the knowledge of his lost children, of my damaged womb…_I felt joy after Ngozi's birth, the joy of knowing that perhaps I was like other women, able to enjoy the choice of child birth, but now that joy had been stricken from me.

Three. The number of miscarriages I'd counted in the year since I'd returned to the homestead. Tiny lumps of flesh and blood that signaled yet another lose, sadness. All occurring while he was away.

Only Brianna knew, for it was she who'd cleaned and collected what remained, held me in my bouts of despair.

The third was the worst. The body of the child had already begun to form, the tiny arms and legs, fingers and toes, the shape of eyelid nose and mouth. And so much blood. I held back screams during those times, fighting the pain, promising myself that I would tell Connor, and failing when I actually got the chance.

Now the soothing dregs of opium lashed my tea, and settled my moods, being the only thing that could contain my anger, sadness and guilt.

When desired moved him to want me as truly and passionately as any man could want a woman, I did not deny him, nor myself of taking all he could give. Afterwards I drank the potions and draughts Brianna once gave to me secretly in the past, rendering my womb barren and useless. I could not stand the thought of yet another child, nor the sight of their blood and flesh as my useless body expelled them.

I knew unlike before, when Connor finally learned the truth, there would be no forgiveness from him. After all they were his children too, and the despair was rightfully his to partake in.

" Uduak." I glanced up.

" Connor," I called. He looked angry. "What is wrong?"

" Slavers," Connor said.

" Here?" I asked moving to stand. He held his hand up stopping me. "How do you know?"

" Ngozi found them. I am going."

" Alone? Maybe you should call-"

He started to walk away from me.

" Connor…at the very least take someone with you. Perhaps call for one of the Assassins and-"

"I do not have time to waste," his voice was firm, a tone away from a shout. I knew this part of him, frustration he displayed when someone got in his way. Regardless of whom they were. In that moment I forgot the decision I'd made to not stand in his way. I approached him, angry and reckless.

" What of your son?" I asked, "What of us? If something happens to you we-"

" That matters little right now," he said placing a hand on my shoulder and moving me out of the way. " Account for the children. I will handle all else."

I clamped my mouth shut then, and glanced away finding I could not meet his gaze.

" Yes…" I said. " Yes of course."

Nothing more had to be said. He turned from me and headed to the wood, weapons in hand.

**Ngozi **

" Let go!" Ngozi demanded Nela, one of the orphaned, once slave child, that his father had brought to the homestead just months before. They lived in a newly built orphanage up the hill, close to the church, ran by a fat old lady named Miss Hans, who always smelled of milk and lemons.

Nela said nothing. She never did. Instead she pulled him harder, trying to lead him back towards the homestead.

At first Ngozi assumed her silence was because she was stupid. After all she was his age, and he could talk, as well as the other kids, but she couldn't. But it wasn't until his mother explained that tragic circumstances sometimes made people mute, and that Nela was a victim of such circumstances.

During lessons with Father Timothy and Miss Hans, instead of writing she often drew pictures on small pieces of papers. They were often pictures of animals, rabbits and bears, wolfs and goats, which held little to no meaning to him, but seem to, by the way she smiled while drawing them, mean the world to her.

The adults thought, just as Ngozi had at first, that she was stupid, gone of mind, because she never wrote, or read when they asked her to. But Ngozi knew differently. He knew she would write he'd seen her do it numerous times, when they were away from the homestead sitting in the wood, Obi beside them sleeping or whining for attention, she wrote him notes.

Once against his mother's orders, he'd asked Nela why she refused to speak. She'd drawn him a picture, of men and women standing in a crowd looking up at two darkened bodies hanging from trees. The faces were unrecognizable but Ngozi understood that the lightened figures on the ground were supposed to be white people, and the figures hanging from trees blacks. Among the crowd just in the middle was a small girl, sitting on the ground and crying.

Ngozi understood, then perfectly without words.

Afterwards she'd asked him to read one of his books to her; and he had, stopping and skipping words neither or they knew, reminding himself to ask his mother or father later. He'd stopped, when they got to the part where the hero saved a fair maiden in trouble.

"Just like the hero in the story," he said to Nela when she'd nudged him to continue reading. "I'll protect you. You and mother," he'd said.

Nela had grinned at that, and then tried to hold his hand, but he'd pulled back embarrassed.

" I'm not going back," Ngozi said. "I have to follow father."

Alerted Nela shushed him, and then leapt into a bush pulling him behind her. They settled, quietly, and she pointed ahead through a hole in the bush.

Four white men sat camped in the hill below, a fire burning in the middle of them, above the fire the cooking carcass of a rabbit. Beside the men sat a metal cage, atop a wagon, inside five black men, and a woman and child. They looked dirty, and starved, and not at all happy.

A figure arose from the bushes beside where the men sat.

_Father…._

His father attacked, drawing his tomahawk over his head and into the shoulder of the nearest man.

Even from where he sat Ngozi could hear the crunch as the man's bones cracked under the strain of the tomahawk, smell the blood as it poured from the man's wounds. Ngozi flinched despite himself, then turned to Nela who watched seemly unaffected her eyes aloof, mouth set in a frown.

Nela stood as his father finished the last man.

" Nela," Ngozi called reaching for her. She ran before he could stop her, down the hill towards his father. Ngozi took off after her, reaching for her hand as she slid down the hill.

His father turned momentarily surprised at first, then angry.

" Ngozi," he called. " What are you doing?"

He reached for Ngozi, blood still on his hands, staining his clothes and face. Ngozi took a step back, remembering the sight of his always gentle, kind and caring father, doing the very thing his mother always said was wrong.

" Ngozi…"

" No," Ngozi said pulling back again. He took Nela by the hand, and pulled her away from the cage.

He ran then, Nela to one side, Fenrir to the other, his entire form shaking.

**Connor **

Connor saw Uduak before he did Ngozi. She stood placing wet clothes on the line.

" Warren's goat got out again," she said when she finally noticed him. "He ate through your best shirt." She held up the tattered clothe and frowned. " I just ordered this shirt too. I'll talk to Ellen tomorrow and-is something wrong? You look-?"

" Ngozi," Connor said softly just as he caught sight of him walking from the house, bow in hand, arrows in his quiver.

" Ngozi."

Ngozi paused in his movements, but did not turn to face Connor. He sat right where he once stood, folding his legs.

Connor took a step forward, and then another and another until he stood beside Ngozi.

" Mother says those who kill for unjust reasons are monsters," Ngozi said finally after a long moment, his hands moving to pick up another arrow, only to set it back down again.

" I did not kill those men for unjust reasons," Connor said softly. It did no good to speak to Ngozi as if he were a simple child. He was too well taught, by observing the actions and words of the adults around him, taking in everything much like a rag, whether he understood it all or not.

" I know you are not a monster father…" Ngozi said. " But…" He paused, his fingers twisted about the grass near his bare feet.

" What is it?"

" Grandmother," Ngozi said finally after a long moment, " She says, that those who kill, no matter the reason, are beast." Ngozi shook his head, wisps of loose, hair falling from the once neat ponytail Uduak had put in earlier that day. " I do not understand. You killed them father. All of them." He glanced up at Connor then, his hazel eyes searching, large and confused, as if asking him to deny all that he'd seen, to scold him for a lie, when he was telling the truth. In that moment, he looked more like to a child to Connor than he'd ever had before, tiny and weak

" Are you a beast father?" the question spoken from Ngozi's quivering lips, was as sincere and confused as his gaze.

Something within Connor lurched, sending a dull ache radiating though his chest.

_How can I even begin to explain? The complex nature of what I do? _

He reached out for Ngozi, to hold him, or to scold him, he did not know. Ngozi flinched, before Connor could reach him, and Connor withdrew his hand.

_He is afraid of me…my son is…_

" Ngozi…" Connor began.

" Dinner," Uduak's voice broke through Connor's words.

Ngozi stood. " Mother," he said. " I should go," then he was gone, and Connor did not try to stop him again.

In his place sat his bow, arrows, his shoes and his lingering question.

_ " __Are you a beast father?" _

_Am I?_ Connor thought as he watched Ngozi approach Uduak, who bent down examining his face and hands, before letting him pass through the doors.

She glanced up smiling, her hands twisting about a cloth, the veins in her hands withering about each other like roots.

" What is wrong?" She asked Connor as he approached.

" Ngozi…he…" Connor glanced over at her, taking in her worried eyes, and frowning mouth. "The slavers. He saw me kill them."

Her frown deepened. " That…"

" I will speak to him," Connor said placing a hand on her small shoulder. " Do not worry."

" You always say that," she replied touching his hand softly. " Yet I always seem to worry. Give him time, after all he knows very little about what you do, and like you, he hates surprises."

" He is old enough to know the truth," Connor said.

" Connor I don't think-" Uduak said starting to argue, stopping to glance over his shoulder.

He turned in the direction of her gaze to see a carriage coming down the dirt path towards them.

" Were you expecting company?" Connor asked.

" No," Uduak said.

The driver of the carriage a skinny man wearing a curled white wig and glasses sped to the carriage doors, attempting to open them when the doors themselves opened.

" Emily?" Uduak said stepping forward, examining the blond headed woman clothed in an elaborate pink satin dress.

She glanced up, revealing her powered face, and painted heart shaped lips.

" Oh Uduak darling," she said rushing forward, nearly pushing over the carriage driver. He ran forward clutching her parcel, mumbling something about the sun and her complexion. Connor watched, half confused, half cautious as the woman pressed a gloved hand to Uduak's cheeks, then leaned forward and kissed Uduak on the mouth.

Surprise prompted action then as Connor stepped forward, ready to pull the strange woman away.

The woman pulled back before he could reach her, patting Uduak's cheek. "Let's not get carried away dear. There are people watching." It is such a delight to see you. How long as it been? Two, no three years?"

"Over ten" Uduak said rubbing her lips against her sleeve, leaving an imprint of red against the white cloth.

Her painted eyebrows furrowed. "Really?"

" I have not seen you since I left Boston, and that was a year after your wedding" Uduak said.

" Oh that," she snorted. " I was a drunk as a sailor," she said. " I hardly remember any of it."

" I could tell," Uduak said rolling her eyes.

The woman pushed Uduak gently aside and strolled towards the door. "Anyway dear, I am here on important matters. Business proposals and the like." Connor stopped her ascent up the stairs, stepping in front of her. He did not know this woman, did her trust her.

Uduak rushed forward, " Emily, this is Connor Kenway. Connor, Emily Johnson."

Emily's mouth made an O shape. " Is this the lucky lad that took you from Boston? Why he is not at all as I imagined."

" Yes this is him."

She reached out with both hands and took Connor by the arms; he stood stiff as she examined him head to toe with blue eyes and a frowning mouth. Connor leaned back, making no show of hiding his discomfort. The woman smelled strange, like the perfumes Uduak wore, combined with whisky and tobacco, and something else he could not quite place. "I'll have you know Mr. Connor Kenway, any friend of Uduak's is a friend of mine." Then leaning forward before he could stop her, she kissed him full on the mouth.

* * *

**Hey guys. How long has been? I've recently moved for college so things have been really crazy and hectic. My new place doesn't have internet readily available so uploading has been really hard.**

**Anyways here's a new chapter. Still introducing characters, developing Ngozi's character...yada yada yada. **

**Stay tuned. I've been collaborating with a friend of mine, and we're working on a mini comic to go with this Fanfic. I'll be posting the first couple pages soon. So look out for the announcement. Would really love to say more, but I literally have 15 minutes left to work in the community lab at my new place. So until next time guys. **

**Feedback seriously wanted! **


	3. Delightful

**This chapter is brought to you by pure procrastination of college work. Woo! Oh that and donuts. I freakin LOVE donuts. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own AC3 or any of its awesome characters. **

**Enjoy!**

**Long Chapter ahead...**

* * *

**Uduak **

Connor pulled back gasping, glancing at Emily as if she were a new sort of fish he'd never seen before.

Emily on the other hand had moved on another matter entirely.

" So shall we sit down, have some tea, talk business matters."

" Yes. Go on inside, make yourself at home. I'll be right there," I said opening the door for her. She stepped inside without another word. I turned to Connor.

He still looked flustered and bewildered, and just a bit angry. The paint from Emily's lips had stained his lips red, and smeared on his cheek from his having pulled away. Gathering my sleeve over my hand I touched it to his face wiping the stain from his cheek, then his lips.

" How do you know that woman?" He asked.

" Stand still," I said. " We lived-in the brothel together when I was first getting my training as a courtesan. We were best friends at the time, until I finished my training and went out into the field. Then we became competitors."

He pulled away from me, gripping my wrist to make me stop rubbing. " You two seem close now."

" Yes well, time and similar circumstances will do that," I said. " Can you manage to be polite until she leaves? If she wishes to talk business it will be with you."

He nodded. I led him back inside to where Emily stood examining my home with interest. "Quint place you have here Uduak. Although I expected something a bit more elegant for a woman of your tastes." She looked over at Connor. He made a point of walking past her to the living room.

" To business then," she said following him. She sat down on the couch closet to him, and he moved to the furthest side of the room. " Have you considered working in a more intimate establishment," she asked him. Her carriage driver arose next to her then, holding my tea pot and china. She took a sip, lowered her cup awaiting Connor's answer, when he said nothing she took another sip and replied, "Shame, I know a handful of women, and dare I say men who would pay quite the pretty pound to see you naked. That would be an interesting treat, compared to what many of the girls have to endure. We absolutely love green boys with stern muscles, and shapely forms why I'm quite sure that when you pull down your pants everything stays-"

I cleared my throat. "You came to discuss business Emily."

She turned to me, suddenly aware. "Do you have children Uduak?"

" A son," I said.

"Delightful," she said clapping her hands. "What is his name?"

" Ngozi." I said. " Today was his baptism."

" Baptism? Delightful. We will discuss the matter of gifts later. But business first. "She cleared her throat and adjusted in the chair. " As you already know Uduak, my newest husband, Mr. J.T. Johnson whom I love very dearly, as well as myself are successful businessmen in our own right. Me with my lovely newly inherited brothel, James with his bathhouses. Despite what you may believe, I do find places like this to be quite quaint and lively, and surveying the land, I do believe this would be a perfect place to expand our businesses. I am sure the people of this homestead would enjoy a bathhouse, not to mention the sailors and noblemen and women in their ships. Why we could set it up right next to the inn."

" That's an excellent idea Emily," I said.

" Thank you. I thought of it just before we left last night to come here. I was so excited and I just had to come and tell you." She turned again to Connor, "With your permission of course. James will pay for everything, including the land as well as any fees you require, even a monthly portion from our own earnings. It will not be very big of course, and we can probably connected the brothel to it."

Connor stepped forward, "The bathhouse I can permit, but the brothel I will not."

Emily pressed a hand to her chest and gasped surprised. " Why sir, I do believe you are forgetting that such great woman as myself and Uduak here were founded from such establishments and remain to be today."

Connor folded his arms across his chest, a sign that his stance on the matter would be unmovable despite anything Emily had to throw his way. " You were both forced to sell your bodies for money, slaves to men who sought to use and discard you, as if you were trash."

" I can assure you, we had a choice. It was either serve or starve, as many of the girls who work under me will tell you. Let's us not forget dear Connor, this is a world of men we live in, and we are but women in it. Some of us, must strive to get by in whatever way we can," she did not sound angry, nor agitated as she said these word, merely informative. She glanced over at me, " Judging by your lack of knowledge I am sure Uduak has not told you the stories of her youth. I can assure you, she had not learned all that she knows by mere chance." She clapped her hands suddenly, as if the matter were a mosquito. "Either way I respect your wishes. Bathhouse it is then?"

" Mother."

We all turned to Ngozi, dressed in his night clothes, a book tucked under one arm.

Emily stood and walked towards him, hands outstretched and Ngozi as wary as his father took a step back as if to run. Bending down Emily took the boy in her arms and hugged him close.

" You must be Ozi."

" Ngozi," Ngozi corrected.

" You are just as handsome as Uduak described. I could just dunk you in my tea." She pulled both is cheeks.

" Who are you?" Ngozi asked pulling back firmly.

" I'm your aunt Emily," she said. " Did Uduak not tell you about me?"

" No," Ngozi said bluntly. He looked over his shoulder at me.

" Oh delightful," She reached out to pinch Ngozi's cheeks again, he pulled back. "After all this is over you simply must come with me to meet my son. He's about your age. A little charmer he is, oh just you wait, the girls will be waiting in lines of threes."

" I don't want girls," Ngozi said.

" Now off to bed you," Emily said pushing Ngozi along, ignoring his protests. "There is much to do tomorrow. Connor you simply must introduce me to everyone here. You do have a room prepared for me right?"

" There is an In-" Connor began, I stepped in front of him.

" I have a spare room. Just allow me a few minutes to prepare it for you."

" Delightful," Emily said. "Simply delightful." She took the book out of Ngozi's hands. "You want me to read you a bedtime story? How delightful, why did you not say something sooner?"

" I don't want you to read…" Ngozi began but Emily was already pushing him up the stairs.

" I do not like her," Connor said bluntly as I faced my mirror, brushing my hair.

" She takes a little getting used to," I said. " She means well."

" By well you mean what?" He asked.

I set down my brush and turned to face him. " You are quite grumpy tonight. Are you still worried about Ngozi? Or is it Emily that's bothering you?"

He started to pace. I stood up, blocked his way. When he stopped I reached up with both hands and cupped his face gently between my palms. I was still getting used to the feeling of his scalp between my fingertips, when once there was hair there. " You always tell me not to worry," I said. " Now it is my turn to tell you. Whatever it may be, do not worry." I said, "I'll protect you from the tyranny named Emily."

Something like a small smile touched the ends of his lips, and I grinned. "Was that a smile I saw?"

He frowned and looked away," No."

" Yes it was," I insisted. " A little baby smile." I pulled his cheeks. " Do it again. You never smile. You look more handsome when you do."

He moved his face out of my reach. "I did not know," he said changing the subject, "You knew so many people."

" Yes, well," I said suddenly feeling a little bit uncomfortable with his inquiries. The less he knew about my life before the homestead, and the people I knew, and who knew me, the better. A well versed courtesan," I said, " Is a well-paid courtesan. It was always good to know people in case I needed them in the future."

" You seem happy…that she is here," Connor said slowly.

" Emily?" I asked.

He nodded.

" I am happy," I admitted. " That she came. For a moment there, I forgot about her, about the wonderful people I knew before I came here. So quick I was to drop them all, and not look back." I ran my hands across the dress I'd just taken off. We always were able to fit one another's clothes. Back before we became competitors, we traded dresses like scholars traded books. Making bets to see who could attract the most attention wearing the same dress, delighting when a noblemen or a General actually stopped in their path to glance our way, their eyes gleaming with desire and need.

Now that I looked back, I realized just how childish we were. We went about life like a game, a game where we held all the important cards.

" Do you-regret leaving them?" Connor asked softly.

The question caught me by surprise.

" At times," I replied truthfully, seeing no reason to lie to him. "But then I think of all that I have here…and all regrets just leave me. Why so many question all of the sudden? What's wrong with you?" I touched his forehead checking his temperature. Everything felt normal.

" It is nothing," he said.

Brianna appeared in the doorway, not bothering to knock, she never did. She sat down a tray filled with chamomile tea and honey. From where I stood I could see just how frail she suddenly looked, not at all as she once was.

"Brianna, you should rest, you've been at it all day." I said.

She glanced up at me; her brow furrowed, but said nothing more as she walked out the room shutting the door behind her. I knew that to be her signal that she was retiring for the night. It pained me to see her always working so hard, but for some reason she refused to accept life any other way. To her idle hands were dead hands.

Perhaps constantly working and moving gave her motivation to keep going day by day, least she end up like Achilles, burdened with little to live for.

I drifted over to the cups Brianna had just set down, making it halfway there before Connor stopped me by grabbing the teapot before I could.

" What are you doing?" I asked.

He pulled the top off the teapot and smelled its contents, and then he took a sip.

"What is in this?"

" Chamomile," I said reaching to take the pot from him, he pulled it back away from me, " A little honey, sugar—"

" Poppy," he said.

" A little to help me sleep," I said. " Now give it here."

" No," he said grabbing my wrist. " Are you unwell? Why are you in need of such strong medicines?"

I pulled my hand back. To some extent I was unwell. No matter how much I tried to hide it. Even so I never was good at hiding things from him.

"Can we not argue tonight?" I asked. "How about we talk about this tomorrow?"

" Is there something to talk about?" He asked insistent.

"Connor…" I sighed. "I'm starting to think you like seeing me angry."

A small insistent rap at the door caught both of our attentions, and I called out for the person to come in, already knowing it was Ngozi before he even opened the door.

" Aunt Emily fell asleep," he said.

" She-"

" In my bed," he continued.

" Bother," I said. I didn't know why I expected anything less. She probably came half drunk. "I'll take care of her."

I trailed to Ngozi's room where sure enough Emily was asleep, curled atop Ngozi's bed as if she owned it. I gently pushed her onto her side so she would not drown should she choose to vomit, then left her sleeping.

When I returned to my room, Ngozi was in my bed, Fenrir attempting to climb in after him.

"He sleeps on the floor," I said. Ngozi frowned, but did not argue. I could tell he was exhausted from the long day, and before I knew it he was fast asleep, his face pressed into my breast. I touched his hair, combing the tangled locks out of his face. "It's been a while since he was willing to sleep in the same bed with me," I said. "He thinks he's too grown up." But what he failed to realize was that no matter how old he got, he'd always be my little boy. "Are you not tired?" I called out to Connor, who hadn't moved. His gaze was fixed on Ngozi and me, his eyebrows furrowed.

When he said nothing I gave up trying to coax him and instead I closed my eyes and snuggled closer to Ngozi. Somehow without the tea or the poppy, sleep came much easier that night.

* * *

**Connor **

Both Uduak and Ngozi were messy sleepers, Connor realized this as he watched them shift and rearrange themselves in the bed, neither waking as they moved to adjust to one another's forms.

_My son…and his mother…_

Uduak was right; Connor had a lot of questions. All seemed to spring from his mouth before he could stop them, flowing like water. He knew so little about Uduak's past, or the people she once knew. Yet somehow it all seemed to come, piece by piece revealing one thing after another.

The woman named Emily had seemed surprised to find out that Uduak had left Boston and more so that she'd left because of Connor.

Cups still within reach he grabbed one. The liquid was still hot and steaming, and the medicines within the dark tea had risen to the top in a sheet of white. He opened the window and poured out the contents of the cups and the teapot.

When he finally went to bed, lying stilly on his back next to Uduak, sleep did not come easy, but it came. He slept with thoughts on his mind. Thoughts of what would come of the next day when he awoke, of what the assassin's had planned next. Each new thought falling into another until they stumbled into dreams.

He dreamt of his life in his village as a child, of his mother, and his people, and for a time he was happy. But like all his dreams, they eventually faded into nightmares, and soon he was faced once again with the death of his mother, the smell of smoke and burning flesh, then the faces of all the men he'd killed, each cursing his name as they fell.

The last death was that of Charles Lee, on that faithful day in the pub in Lexington.

Connor stabbed him, felt the bones in his chest give under his blade. Connor pulled back, releasing the blade, his gaze rising until it fell on Charles's face. Only instead of the face of Charles it was Uduak's face, her dead hazel eyes staring out at him, her blood dripping down the side of her mouth, staining her lips and chin.

He pulled himself back from the table, reached out for her as she fell from her chair, his arms prepped to grab her.

She fell into his arms, heavy and dead, her limps limp and lifeless. He shouted her name as he held her, patted her face as if to bring back the life in her cheeks.

Darkness descended upon him, blacker than ebony, blocking all his sight.

_"Life is not a fairytale. And there are no happy endings."_

His arms felt suddenly warm, and the once cold form molded within them was now hot. He glanced down at Uduak to see she was glowing, bright like the sun at first, transitioning into a warm orange, and then a vibrant red.

The color spread until it shot across her entire body, rising and rising until it consumed her.

She raised her head and glanced at him her eyes gray and lifeless.

" Connor?" Her mouth was black with blood.

He opened his mouth to say her name, yet the words would not come to him.

" Connor?"

Flame arose from her skin then, blazing and hot, burning, burning until she crumbled into ashes in his arms.

He screamed.

"Connor?" He opened his eyes to the sight of Uduak looming above him.

" Uduak?"

" You were tossing, and mumbling in your sleep. Were you having a nightma-"

He sat up, taking her by the shoulders and pulling her close.

He could feel her breath against his neck. Over her shoulder he could see Ngozi still sound asleep, on the bed next to him Fenrir.

She pulled away from him, her hands on both sides of his face, her eyes searching his.

" Are you alright?" she asked concerned. " Did you drink anymore of that tea?"

" No," he answered relief making him exhausted.

"No you aren't alright? Or no you did not drink the tea."

" No," he said again words failing him. He pulled back away from her grip to fall upon her lap, his ear pressed up against her stomach, arms wrapped around her form.

He expected for half a second for her to combust into flames again, before he remembered he was merely dreaming, as he had almost every night.

_"You will always be chasing butterflies…."_

She shifted and he tightened his arms around her, suddenly fearful she was going to leave. " Stay," he said. "Please. Do not leave." He realized his rambling was the result of being half asleep, and he did not care.

_Always at the end of it all…it's always you I come running to…_

Fingers threaded themselves through his hair, stretched over his scalp. He sighed releasing the tension in his shoulders and back.

"Shhh," Uduak cooed. "Sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

**Myriam **

Myriam examined Ngozi as he stood beside her, silent as the wind, a bow in hand, crouched so low in the tall grass even she was hard pressed to see him standing as close as she was. His face was a pentacle of concentration as he studied the deer, and suddenly Myriam was reminded of Connor.

_There is no doubt that he is Connor's son. _One had only to look at the boy's face to see the truth. Although still young, his face had taken on his father's solemn, firm look, and he tall for his age, as well as strong. His hair was loose and tangled, although Myriam had seen Uduak combing it that very morning, and decorated with elaborate braids of beads and feathers, the bangs falling over hazel eyes that matched Uduak's.

With the steady hand Ngozi shot, catching the deer in the side, inches from its heart. The deer took off running, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Ngozi's frown deepened and his eyebrow twitched as she stood watching the deer with determined eyes.

" We should catch it before the wolves do," Myriam said standing with him.

He glanced over at her, his face unreadable before nodding and walking forward, whistling sharply as he cut across the path. A wolf pup the size of an adult dog arose then from the grass beside where they stood; tail wagging as he circled excitedly about Ngozi's feet.

Bending Ngozi pressed his fingertips to the patch of wet deer blood then held it up to the wolf's nose.

" Go Fenrir," he said and the wolf pup took off without hesitation.

Ngozi followed, dagger suddenly in hand.

Determined not to stand in his way Myriam followed closely behind observing.

The wolf pup barked as they approached the now dying deer, spread on its back huffing desperately as it's punctured lung struggled to breath air.

" It is suffering," Myriam found herself saying as she reached for her rifle. She would do the poor creature the honor of ending its misery. Ngozi touched her arm. She hesitated.

" I am sorry," he said resting a hand on the deer's neck gently. He lifted his blade, and the deer reacted seeing the gleam of metal sensing the danger. Ngozi whispered the the words Myriam had heard Connor say a hundred times after each hunt. She knew the meaning now, after asking him one day when her curiosity outweighed her caution.

" It means thank you," Connor had said. "Mother Nature has given us the gift of her children's life; we must thank her in return."

Now it would seem Ngozi was following in his father's footsteps.

Still soothing the struggling dying animal, Ngozi ran the blade of the knife against the deer's throat in a quick clean cut. All struggling stopped then as the animal died in his arms.

It was a long moment before the boy moved again, and Myriam waited.

When he finally stood he did so slowly, his eyes never leaving the deer's body.

" Will this make Mother happy?" He asked his voice soft.

It was a reoccurring question Ngozi often had, and a constant concern.

The matter of Uduak's happiness.

_Uduak you fool, you hide behind your mask of beauty and smiles, and you think no one notices how unhappy you are. _

Myriam spoke without thinking, " I am sure it will."

She saw Ngozi's shoulders perk up, his once balled fist loosen.

" I will get Grandmother Brianna to cook it in a pie. Mother loves pies." He grinned then, making his face appear more boy like, almost whimsical.

_He is going to be quite handsome when he is older, _Myriam thought. _ Like Connor…_

" Lets worry about how we are going to move this first," Myriam said beckoning to the deer laying on the ground. "Everything else can wait."

The smile he had disappeared then, replaced with a look of concentration. Myriam marveled silently at the transition, for she could remember Ngozi when he first arrived at the homestead. He was wild and unruly; he listened to no one and took nothing seriously. He ran the homestead causing mischief and acting more beast than little boy.

The other children did not take kindly to him, and he did not them, no matter how w hard they tried to grow to like him.

_Being around Connor has changed him. _Although he still had his wild boy like tendencies in his desire to be outside, and away from the confides of the house, as well as his dislike of baths and constricting clothes, he was not as wild, uncontrollable or mischievous as before.

Myriam watched as Ngozi went to fetch the cart, until he disappeared into the trees. When he arose, he was no longer alone but with a girl who looked about Ngozi's age with blond hair pulled tightly under a bonnet. She wore a pink dress that dragged against the ground as she walked, and a stack of books was pulled tightly under her arms.

" You will never learn how to read or write if you don't come," the girl said. Ngozi speed up, leaving her behind. She followed dutifully. "Father Timothy says that God intends for all his children to be able to read his word. Even you Ngozi."

" My Father and Mother teaches me," Ngozi said stubbornly walking to the deer.

" Well hello," Myriam said recognizing the girl as one of the new homesteader's daughter who's family had arrived at the homestead just months before. " What seems to be the problem?"

The girl glanced away suddenly realizing she had company besides Ngozi. Moments later Fenrir sprung from the bushes in front of her and she screamed throwing her books in the air and cowering behind Ngozi.

" That's just Fenrir," Ngozi said trying to slide from the girl's grip.

" He's a wolf," she exclaimed. Her eyes moved to the deer caress staining the ground red, and she gasped, and then began to cry.

" You killed it."

Ngozi shrugged, "We are to eat it. You to."

The girl shook her head. " I won't, I won't."

Ngozi frowned, then moved to bend over the deer, the girl let him go then, taking a few steps back, tears moving down her cheeks.

" I won't."

Ngozi did not turn around to face her, " Then don't," he said moving to slide his hands under the deer's neck.

_He's as forward and callous as his father as well…._Myriam thought.

" You are so mean Ngozi," the girl said still crying. Ngozi turned then, confusion set in his brow, a frown on his lips. Then before he could say anything more the girl ran, leaving her books scattered across the ground.

" Ngozi…" Myriam began.

" Did I do something wrong?" He asked concerned. " Why is she crying."

" Because you hurt her feelings," Myriam said bluntly. " She wants to be your friend."

He turned from the path she just ran focusing his attention back at the deer. "She's just a stupid girl," he scuffed. " Why would I want to be her friend?" Even so he did not sound convinced of his own words.

Myriam sighed. " Let's finish up here, if we're not back soon Uduak will be worried."

He helped Myriam load the deer onto the cart, then with hardly a word started back towards Myriam's house. She trailed behind, enjoying the midmorning wind and the smell of oak.

* * *

**Uduak **

" Delightful simply delightful," Emily said. " This spot will do nicely. Oh can't you just see it Uduak." She sighed dreamily. " Oh this is such a nice place. Quiet, peaceful, clean, and everyone is so nice."

" That's why I love it here," I said. " For some reason I never felt like I belonged in Boston."

Emily shifted in the grass beside me. " You just have to tell me," she cheered. " How you two met."

" Connor and I?"

" Yes. You know I have a weakness for epic romances. Tell me everything. Starting with how he managed to get you out of Boston."

I shrugged. " I just left on my own."

" Truly?" Emily sighed. " It wasn't for the money?"

I shook my head. " Somehow, money no longer felt important to me. Suddenly I wanted to do was follow him. All I wanted was him." I blushed at the way it sounded coming from my mouth. " Sorry. I know I am being quite strange."

" Oh posh," Emily said leaning back onto her elbows. " I saw the way he looked at you. I half expected him to either attempt to eat you, or take you right where you stood. And you looked both afraid he would and would not try either or both."

" Emily!" I scolded feeling the blush still rising up my neck to my cheeks.

She pulled a fan out of her bosom and began to fan herself with it. " By God, it's been a long time since someone looked at me that way. The simplicities of fishing without bait is gone, and we are getting older. Men with their insane need for sons," she sighed. " Look at me the pot calling the kettle black. We are no better, afraid of every look, touch or word that is passed from our men to another woman." She sighed again, then pushed her cup to her lips, she took a long drink. "I may not love James, the fool, but the thought of him with someone else, absolutely repulsive me."

" But James-"

" Is a fool," she said bluntly. " Who loves me, a great deal more than I love him. I do believe he can sense it sometimes, in his bouts of anger, I do not discourage him. It makes me feel that maybe somehow it's fair, that somehow in those moments he loves me just as equally as I do him."

" That is very sad," I could find no other words to describe it. I could not imagine being that way with Connor. Enjoying his anger more than his love, yet unable to let go.

" He looks different than the others," She said seemly unfazed by my response.

" Connor?"

She nodded. " What is it they call themselves? Savages? Natives? Oh it matters little." She sat her cup in the dirt, reached for mine. I gave it to her without argument. I could tell she was a few sips away from drunk, and I had no quarrels about it. From what I could remember, she was the most manageable drunk, because she often fell asleep. " I see no band on your person. Are you two not married?"

I shook my head.

She gasped. " The brute," still she did not sound convinced.

" I can tell he wishes to," I said folding my arms about my stomach. "But I won't let him." I had no real reason why, already we were as close as any married couple could be. All we lacked now were the titles. Still to accept his proposal, to become his wife, in name and deed, felt unfair somehow, like I would be taking more from him, than I would be giving in return.

" Marriage is personal," Emily said breaking my thoughts. "And we are creatures who rather prefer the privileges of impersonal attachments. Once a courtesan always a courtesan. All the pretty bands and titles in the world won't change that."

Ngozi arose from the wood then, beside him Myriam with her horse and cart, on the back of it the body of a dead deer.

" I don't think so," I said.

Emily stood. " My God, you hunt here too? There is no market to buy your meat?"

Myriam eyed Emily then glanced over at me inquisitive.

" Myriam, this is Emily. Emily, Myriam." I felt like I'd introduced Emily more than a hundred times, between introducing her to almost every homesteader. It was no wonder both Connor and Ngozi left early that morning in pursuit of other things to do.

Emily took Myriam's hands. " I am Uduak's best friend."

" Funny," Myriam said. " She's never mentioned you."

" She wouldn't have," Emily said," She's always been a bit jealous of me you know. Who can blame her right? She's always afraid I'm going to whisk her friends away if she ever introduces me to any of them. So far she's right." Emily laughed in only the way Emily could. " Tell me what is it you that you do?"

" I am a hunter," Myriam said.

Emily's eyes widened. " A woman hunter?"

" Yes-"

" Delightful. I simply love it. Why must the men have all the fun. Women are just as powerful. Am I right?"

" Yes," Myriam said. " Most people don't have that reaction the first time I tell them."

Emily touched her shoulder. " Well you will learn really quick," she said leading Myriam away in the opposite direction. " I am not most people. Now you simply must tell me all about this hunting you do. Just in case I decide to take the sport up for myself. I watched them drift off leaving Ngozi and I alone.

" Did you have fun?" I asked bending down to wipe a smear of mud he had on his cheek.

As usual he shyed away from my touch.

" Yes," he said.

" What is wrong?" I asked.

" One of the girls," Ngozi said. " From Father Timothy's…"

" You skipped lessons again today didn't you?" I scolded. " Ngozi. How many times do I have to go through this with you?"

" It wasn't about that," Ngozi said impatiently. " Can I tell you what it was or not?"

" Alright. But we are not done with the subject of lessons. You are going tomorrow."

He sighed, then continued. " I think I made her cry."

" One of the girls?"

He nodded. " I did not mean to. She was just being really annoying. And I wanted her to go away."

" So you said something mean to her?"

" Well it wasn't mean. But Myriam said it was."

I touched his cheek. His skin was warm against my palm, and soft. " Then you should go and apologize," I said.

He started to protest. "It's only the right thing to do."

" Fine," he said kicking the dirt.

" That's my little wolf," I said pushing down his tangled hair and kissing his forehead." Then afterwards head to lessons. And I better not hear you gave Father Timothy any backtalk."

He trailed away from me, his shoulders slumped, one hand shoved in his pocket, while the other held a stack of books. " I will see you this evening," I called after him.

" Beautiful."

I turned not recognizing the voice. A man stood behind me, dressed in all-black cloak, his face beneath the hood bandaged from his chin to his forehead, so that all I could see was his eyes and lips.

" Forgive me," he said. " I did not mean to frighten."

I stood. " It is quite alright," I said. " Is there something I can assist you with sir."

He shook his head. " I was merely admiring the interaction between you and your son. I find it a truly beautiful thing, the love of a mother for her son." His accent was unrecognizable.

" Yes…" I said. "You are a father as well?" I asked.

He shook his head. " No. But I do wish to someday father a child."

I took a step back. Something about him made me nervous." It is quite a task," I said.

He glanced out at the path Ngozi just walked.

" Treasure him," He said. " In these troubled times, any moment could be our last."

" I will," I said.

He nodded again, and then bowed slightly. " Well I should be off. Delightful meeting you-"

" Uduak," I said.

" Isaac," he replied. "My pleasure."

He walked away from me, his cloak bellowing behind him. I watched him go, taking note of his tallness, the build of his shoulders and form, feeling the sense of wariness coming over me.

* * *

**Connor**

Ngozi was not home when Connor finally arrived back from his meeting with the Assassin's, but Uduak was, sitting upon the porch reading, while Brianna sat besides her carving at a stick of sugar cane with a knife.

As expected he was needed again to set off on another mission. He debated how he was to tell Uduak, it seemed each time got harder and harder. He'd been gone since early that morning before she awoke, and he would likely be gone for a least a couple of days more.

When Uduak spotted him she lowered her book and smiled. Her smile was filled with relief and sadness all at once, and it made his insides twist with guilt.

" Where is Ngozi?" He asked, glancing away from her.

" He is at Father Timothy's with the other children," Uduak said, " He had a bit of a disagreement with one of the girls. I sent him to apologize." She stood and held out her hands to him, "Come I have made your favorite."

He glanced down at her hands. The remnants of ash were caked into the creases of her palms, a sign that she'd been praying while he was gone. Were her dress not covering her legs, he would have seen her knees stained as well, red and raw from kneeling.

He knew she prayed the most when he was away, or when something was worrying at her. Sometimes she sat; on her knees in front of her alter for hours at a time, before finally collapsing from exhaustion.

" Do not worry Emily left. Something about meeting James at a party."

He did not take her hands, did not step forward. "Uduak I cannot stay for long."

She pulled her hands back quickly. " Yes. Yes of course." She stood. " At least eat something before you go."

" Uduak," he called firmly.

" Are they coming for you soon?" she said trailing inside the house. " I spent all day cooking. Here taste this."

She stuck a spoon in his mouth before he could object. The soup was hot and salty on his tongue. "And look I didn't burn it this time," he pulled a head of corn off the roasting stone and showed it to him. " And-"

He grabbed her arm. She paused.

" Uduak. What is wrong?"

" Why do you always assume something is wrong?" She asked glaring up at him. "Why can't I just be genuinely happy to do something right? I wanted to cook something for you, and do it properly. I want to support you without complaint. By the Gods Connor, you are making it extremely difficult."

" Would you rather I not care?" He asked calmly.

" I…" She paused and glanced up at him, her eyes searching. " I am not used to this," she said. " Forgive me. I should not push away your concern."

" Neither am I," Connor admitted wanting nothing more at that moment than to calm her. He was never quite sure what was bothering her, and he was not sure if that was because it was her nature to hide things in attempt to make everyone happy, or if that was just women in general.

She grinned up at him. "Obviously."

" Your soup was good," he said after a long moment. Her grin spread.

" Really?" She asked. He nodded. She pressed a hand to his bicep. "Careful my wolf, I may never let you leave."

" Connor! Connor!"

They both turned. Norris stood at the door.

" Norris what is wrong?"

" Fire," he said, " At the church. Come quick."

* * *

**Ngozi **

Ngozi trailed through the woods Fenrir by his side, the books he'd borrowed from Father Timothy tucked under his arm. He recalled his mother as he walked, how sad she looked before he left her.

_That is probably why mother is always so sad. She thinks Father is a bad person. _He'd overheard the women on the homestead talking, they were saying that bad men only produced bad seeds that never grew to be anything, that the children would be nothing or no one. He could not have that happen to his mother. He would fix everything, he would take care of their family.

_I'll catch Father before he leaves… _Ngozi knew better than anyone else how fast his father could move. He felt disappointment pool in his gut, his father oculd be miles away, and Ngozi had no way of catching him.

" how about you Fenrir," he whispered to the wolf, " can you smell him?"

He gained a growl in reply. Ngozi turned, surprised because he'd never heard Fenrir growl before. He was always so friendly and carefree, even when they were hunting, seeming to take everything as a game.

A figure stood in the darkness, tall and shadowed.

"Father?" He called, even though he knew it wasn't his father, even though he knew it was useless to ask.

Fenrir lunged, springing in Ngozi's defense, his teeth bared. A hand shot out quicker than Ngozi could recall catching Fenrir in the ribs. He fell to the side whimpering but did not let up as she lunged again. This time it was the attackers boot that caught Fenrir in the exact spot sending him propelling into the darkness.

Ngozi shot out after him, ready to scream for help when a hand grabbed the back of his shirt jerking him backwards. He opened his mouth, half a yelp escaping before hands were on his mouth, over his nose. He kicked and struggled, panic overwhelming him, suddenly and desperately aware that he was weak in the hands of his strong processor.

His teeth found the roughness of dried leather and he bit down, much like an animal caught in a trap, resorting to any means necessary to getaway. The attackers grip tightened around his form, squeezing the breath out of him, and restricting his movements.

_LET GO…_

He couldn't breathe.

_He's going to kill me…_

He knew so little about death, not nearly enough to be afraid of it. But the thought of leaving his mother…father…Brianna…Nela alone without him, was too much to bear.

" Calm there lad, don't make this harder than it has to be."

It was a man's voice. He sounded kind, as if he really cared for Ngozi and how he was feeling, despite the fact that he was suffocating him.

" Go to sleep now, this will all be over soon," the man whispered.

In the distance wolves began to howl. Darkness fell. And then there was silence.

* * *

**Luke **

Hot, everything was too hot. Breathe did not come easy, nor did movement. He was restricted under seemly unmovable weight.

_I do believe I am dying. _

He fought to rise to the surface, sensing the sweet refreshment of air and the guarantee of space.

His hands found it first, fingers twisting about sheets made of silk that smelled of roses and milk infused with honey and pleasure.

He felt warm fingers gather about his member, sending the familiar shockwave of pleasure coursing down his spine, another drip in an endless bucket in the pool of his gut.

" Luke," a sweet voice whispered in his ear reminding him where he was, and situation he found himself in.

" Wine," he said in reply. "Why is my cup empty?"

The request did not fall on deaf ears. A cup was immediately filled, the rim overfilling with red wine he could only guess was several hundred years older than he was.

" We thought we lost you." The softness of breast touched his arm. He glanced over in attempt to match the face with the body. A mulatto woman sat beside him, black of hair, light of skin, brown of eye. She was pretty, one could argue even beautiful, but something was missing, something important.

" We do not want that now do we, love? " Luke said squeezing her thigh.

Behind the girl another girl arose, similar in appearance. "Finish your story," she begged her voice soft and sweet.

" Ah," Luke said. " It would seem I've forgotten where it was I stopped."

Lips touched his neck, followed by the softness of hands at his shoulders. A third girl arose, almost a duplicate of the first two.

_All that's right, I have paid for the company of the triplets. How much have I agreed upon again? _

He'd forgotten in the course of the few hours since leaving the comfort of the brothel for the less than comfortable, comfort of the mercenary's tower.

The door to his room opened sending in a flood of blinding light.

"He was in the middle of telling ye about how much he must prepare for his next assignment."

" Sana," Luke called out leaning back, his elbows falling onto the thighs of the girl behind him. "Nice of you to join us. I am to believe you are joining us right?"

The girls giggled. Sana's catlike eyes narrowed into a glare. "You are needed at the front."

Luke sighed, " Of course I am. Take a message, I am busy." He gestured to the women in his bed. " Very busy."

" To busy," Sana began, " To read a message concerning ye precious Uduak."

Luke was up before she could say another word, bare as the day he was born. Ignoring the protest of the women he strolled to the door where Sana stood.

" I do hope you are telling the truth," Luke said all kindness and jest gone from his voice.

She held up the letter, wrapped and sealed. He took it from her and ripped it open his eagerness overcoming him.

" Well?" Sana inquired as he read then reread the note.

" Tell me Sana my beautiful friend," Luke said his characteristic smile spreading across his face, " Do you fancy a trip to the colonies?"

* * *

**Yeah yeah I know you guys are excited about Luke coming back. The lucky bastard has a special place in my heart that I just can't let go of just yet. So I know you guys are wondering. Will he meet up with Uduak again? Connor? Will there be shipping? Epic love triangle action? **

**While I will not say much, I will release this little fact. Luke will have his own little sections within the story, where the reader will get to zoom in on his point of view to certain situations. Exciting right? The answer is yes. But one should also keep in mind that the Luke we will be reading about from this point on is a bit different that the one from before. I.E. he is not quite the same man that fell in love with Uduak, then had his heart heartlessly torn out! ( Sorry I just have this thing for Luke, I want him to be happy, but he's just at his best when he's not) Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Don't know, read and find out. ( Seriously guys I don't know, I literally come up with this stuff out of the blue)...**

**And Ngozi...the little guy! What will happen to him? And Uduak! And Connor? Geez as if they aren't going through enough already, now Ngozi has to go and get himself captured. **

**Historical Info **

**Bathhouse- Although not very common during the 18th century, one could most likely find one attached to or within a brothel. There, for a certain price one could not only get a much needed bath, but get a much needed bath, and order a prostitute as well to pass the time. Who ever said to much of a good thing was bad? **

**Feedback greatly appreciated! **


	4. Gone

**Oh yes another chapter. Be happy. So so happy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own AC3. No matter how much I wished I did. **

**Enjoy! Long Chapter ahead. **

* * *

"Are all the children out?" Myriam called as she hauled yet another bucket full of water at the burning building.

Connor arose from the flames, face and clothes stained black from the soot and smoke, two of the children in his arms.

"Where is Ngozi?" Uduak asked her voice urgent and frightened.

Myriam turned to her. "He left," she said. "Before the fire started. " I watched him go."

"Where?" Uduak said.

" He did not say," Myriam replied, but she saw the tension in Uduak's shoulders instantly loosen.

" I'm going to try and find him," Uduak said starting forward.

Myriam stopped her. " Shouldn't you wait for Con-"

" He's busy. It should only take a few minutes. If he asks tell him where I've gone."

" Uduak-" Myriam began. There was no stopping Uduak, she was already halfway into the wood taking the same path as Ngozi. Myriam watched her warily wondering if she should follow her. She couldn't explain why but a feeling of dread was boiling in her gut.

" Nela," Ms. Hans said. " By God where is that child."

One of the children stepped forward. " She left, following behind Ngozi."

Myriam felt herself sigh in relief, all the children were accounted for, and no one got hurt. The last bucket of water was thorwn onto the fire and it dimmed. They did a call for the children, the only ones missing Ngozi and Nela.

" The fire," Myriam said aloud glancing over at the half burned church. " Did one of the children drop a candle."

" No," Father Timothy said. " The children were doing their midafternoon prayers, and the fire sprung as if out of nowhere."

" Fires just do not spring out of nowhere," Connor said turning in the direction of the path Uduak just took.

" Where are you going?" Myriam said starting to follow him.

_He has a point, someone had to have started the fire but why? _Myriam wanted to ask Connor what conclusion he'd drawn, but he was halfway into the woods.

_Figures they both would go running off…_ Still something did not feel right. Myriam could sense a sort of distension in the air and it unsettled her. She thought about following Uduak and Connor, but thought better of it, and instead joined the others in helping make sure the fire didn't start back up.

* * *

**Connor**

Through his vision Connor would see the trail, the tiny subtly hints left by Ngozi and then Uduak, leading into the woods, followed by the trail of another. Something was wrong.

Wasting no time he followed the clues, stopping only momentary to pick up a piece of broken wood, or feel the indent of a small footprint in the grass. It was the weak cries of an injured animal that made him pause in his pursuit, to turn towards the tall grass.

Fenrir arose, half crawling half walking towards Connor, his nozzle caked in blood, his torso curled.

When Connor approached, he growled, baring his teeth and snapping. Connor held out his hands to him, ushering him to stay calm.

_This is not right…_Connor thought as he brought the wolf pup into his arms. Fenrir latched onto the leather of Connor's arm Connor gently grabbed him, his yelps increasing in volume.

_Where is Ngozi?_

_Crunch._

Connor leapt then, dodging the blade of a dagger just seconds before it could hit him. Fenrir still in his arms he fell to the ground and rolled, withdrawing his tomahawk as he recovered.

_What? _

A figure stood directly in front of him, dressed in all black, a cloak thrown about his shoulders, a hood covering his head, a mask over his nose and mouth, so that all Connor could see were his eyes, shaded beneath his hood. Thrown over his shoulder was a large shack.

" Who are you?" Connor demanded.

The figure said nothing. One hand braced itself over his belt, while the other tightened itself around the end of the shack. Fenrir growled, attempting move forward, only to fall back down.

Connor's eyes drifted to the sack, it was big enough to hold a body, the body of a child.

Connor lurched at the figure, his tomahawk still in hand, posed to strike. The man withdrew a dagger, throwing it at Connor, the blade surging towards Connor's chest, almost too fast to see. Connor spun, the blade slicing through the thick clothe of his robe, and cutting into his right arm instead.

The man ran, climbing the broken trunk of a tree and leaping until he was among the trees, free running as quickly and nimbly as Connor.

Connor followed, determination making his feet quick. The man leapt just as they reached the clearing, landing on the ground right in front of the cliffs.

Still silent the man bent to his knees, withdrawing the sack from his shoulder and opening it. Reaching inside he pulled, first revealing a tuff of brown hair, then the head and partial body of Ngozi.

From where Connor stood, he could not tell if Ngozi was dead or merely unconscious. As peaceful as he looked, one would think he was merely sleeping.

_Ngozi…_

Connor withdrew his bow, the arrow already in place he aimed it at the man. He would kill him for what he'd done. But first he wanted to know why, and who the man was working for.

A list of names appeared in Connor's mind. The slavers might have hired someone, perhaps someone from the British army, the Templars. Even so it did not matter at the second. Dead or alive, that man had his son.

Of all the things that could have been done to Connor, this was perhaps the worst. An innocent child, being caught in his crossfire.

But was it not working? Connor could feel all sense of rationality leaving him as he glanced between Ngozi and the mysterious man.

_I am afraid…_Connor realized. But not for himself. But for Ngozi. _If he is dead…_

But he could not worry about that now. That was what the man wanted, for Connor to doubt himself that is likely why he showed Connor Ngozi in the first place.

_All else must wait until after I kill this man…_Connor thought as he settled his shaking fingers, and tensed his bow.

The man moved to stand, and Connor shot.

He dodged the arrow, spinning around, another dagger arising from his palm aimed at Connor. Connor moved, using the momentum from his dodge to lurch forward after the man, tomahawk raised.

The man withdrew a sword at the same moment, and their weapon's clashed sending sparks from the metal into the air.

One hand still holding the tomahawk Connor withdrew his hidden blade, intending to stab the man in the stomach. The man, anticipating his attack blocked that blade as well with one of his daggers.

They struggled for a half second, neither able to overcome the other, before the man shot out his left foot, sending Connor stumbling backwards towards the cliff. Connor caught himself before he could fall, and the man lunged again catching Connor as he balanced himself.

The tip blade sunk partly into the flesh of Connor's side, before Connor could lurch backward away from the full impact.

_He is fast…_Connor thought as he stumbled backwards, holding his side, his breathing heavy and quick. Blood gushed down the front of his robe, falling in droplets into the ground.

The man was not deterred by having gotten a blow. He came at Connor again, intending to land another blow, and Connor swung his tomahawk catching the man's shoulder, tearing through the clothe of his cloak, then flesh and finally bone. The man withdrew, falling onto his knees with a cry.

Connor loomed above him, tomahawk still tightly gripped in shaking fingers, blood pouring from his wound.

He felt faint, and suddenly tired, and he realized that he'd lost a lot more blood than he thought.

" Who sent you?" Connor demanded.

The man said nothing. His hood was drawn back, long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail that sketched across his back, and hazel eyes glared up at Connor. All at once the shock of familiarly came rushing to him , and he wondered for a long second where he's seen such a gaze before. It was eerie and unsettling, the feeling the man brought up in Connor.

" I ask again," Connor said. " Who sent you?"

Still nothing.

_I will have to interrogate him. It is very unlikely he will tell me anything without force. _

CRACK!

Darkness feel first, and his body followed.

* * *

**Uduak**

I saw the man first, then I saw Ngozi as the man gathered up his form into a sack. I recognized him, the man, as the one I spoke to before.

Without thinking I ran forward, ready to attack, stopping when the man bent and picked up a fallen object at his feet.

He lifted it, giving me full view, then threw it so it landed in the dirt in front of me.

It was Connor's tomahawk, the blade and handle stained with blood.

" Con—"

_Why…_

_Connor…_

I bent down and took the tomahawk in my hands. It was heavy, heavier than I ever remember it being. I glaze fell upon it, then the ground where it once lay. Blood was everywhere, some scattered upon the rock faces, others pooling, a sticky mess of black and red.

I took a step forward, then another and another until I stood at he end of the cliff. My gaze traveled down, over the steepness of it, taking in the height of it, the rush of water underneath. No normal man could have survived a fall like that, and yet I'd seen Connor leap from heights taller than that dozens of times.

Leap…not fall…

_And if he was injured…._

I shook my head. I could not think of that now, when another task lay in front of me.

"Is Ngozi dead?" I asked. There were so many other questions I wished to ask, and yet none would rise to the surface.

" No." The man answered. " But he will be soon."

" Then take me too," I said. " To where ever it is you are going."

The man turned his back on me. " I cannot."

I lurched at him, Connor's tomahawk in my hands. The man spun, his hand wrapping around my neck. He was so close. I could see the wisps of black hair under his hood, the color of his eyes. He had hazel eyes, like Ngozi and me, a fusion of green and brown that seem to mix even more in the sunlight.

" Then kill me," I said. " You've taken so much already. My life is only but a smaller token."

He squeezed, and all at once I felt the breath leaving me. I did not fight it, but embraced it. After all. What was I without Connor or Ngozi? They were what tied me to the world, and now they were gone.

My vision swam in blotches of white and red, quickly fading into grey and then black, until I saw and felt nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer in the forest, surrounded my blood and chaos, but laying in my bed at home.

The room was warm and dimly lighted. I could smell the fragrances of tea and candles burning along with the strong almost acidic smell of drying paint.

Myriam's face appeared in my view, both concern and worry covering her features.

" Good you are awake."

" Ng-" I began. My throat felt like sand, rough and gravely.

" Here I have water," Myriam said and she brought a cup of water to my lips. I half swallowed, half coughed the water down, before turning my head away when she offered more.

" Ngozi-" I croaked. " And Co-" I coughed. " Connor. Where?"

" Shhh…" Myriam cooed. " Rest now you are not well."

" Where…" I felt the unset of tears, yet I lacked the strength to completely carry it through.

" Udua-"

" Where?" I demanded louder this time. I would scream it, if that was what it took to get a clear answer.

" Connor…" Myriam said reluctantly. She hesitated for a long moment, then said, "Has not awoken yet. His injuries are very bad. A woman claiming to be your sister found him at the bottom of the cliff. There still remains no trace of Ngozi."

I turned my gaze away from her.

" But they are still looking. I'm sure they will find something."

I drew the covers off my form and slipped my legs over the side of the bed. Myriam came over to help me, but I pushed her hands away as I stood to my feet. I was wobbly but I did not fall as a walked to my trunk and opened it. Inside lay my statues, carved images of wood and stone, beneath them the blacked powder of ash, dirt and herbs.

" Brianna," I called.

" Now?" She asked.

" Yes." I answered. I could feel Myriam's confused gaze on me. I did not ask her to leave as I stripped from all my clothing, my scarred back, orientated with markings, now permanent, as much a part of me as my flesh.

" Very well," Brianna said walking out the room. I picked up a pair of scissors from my vanity stand.

" Uduak-" Myriam began. " What are you-?"

I placed the scissors between a lock of my own hair and cut. The hair fell, the strings scattering as they hit the ground. Myriam's hand touched my shoulder. I turned and glared at her.

" Uduak this makes no sense."

" It does to me," I said. I continued to cut, while Myriam watched on, stopping only when I could no longer grip my hair with the scissors. The rest would have to be shaved.

Brianna returned just as I'd finished.

" The water is finished," she said.

I followed her out to where the bath sat. I barely felt the coldness of the water as a sat down and Brianna washed me. Afterwards she shaved off with little hair I had left on my head, the blade so sharp it cut my scalp staining the water a faint pink.

Afterwards I was dried and Brianna spread a thick paste of black dye, the burned ashes of bark and herbs across my body. Her calloused fingers were like the tiny strings of a paintbrush as they moved across my skin, crisscrossing and encircling, line by delicate line until she was finished.

I returned to my room afterwards where Myriam still was. When she saw me her eyes widened. She took a step towards me, then another, and another. Brianna blocked her path.

" Do not, she has just been cleansed."

" Cleansed? I do not understand?" Myriam said.

I went to my knees in front of the trunk, withdrawing the statues and lining them in the appropriate path atop the trunk. I lit my candles and incense next, filling the room with a pungent earthly scent. Although my hands were already blackened from the dye I spread the ashes across them as well,

Then with folded hands I began to pray.

* * *

**Ngozi**

Ngozi awoke in a room, on a bed that smelled of mold and smoke. There was a window, a dresser and a fireplace. The walls were bare and brown, the floor without rugs.

He sat up, slipping out of bed, his head aching, as if some great weight had been put upon while he was sleeping.

_Where am I…_He wasn't at home that was for sure. His room had a book shelve, and painting his mother had given him, and a desk. _Where is Fenrir…_He never woke up without Fenrir there at his side.

He tried to open the door, only to find it was locked, the window was too.

_I've need captured…_He'd read about being captured, but it was usually damsel in distress, who waited in tall castles for princes to arrive and save them.

He wasn't a damsel. So who was there to save him.

_Father…_yes surely his father would come eventually._ Even mother…but it'll be too dangerous for her. Father would make her stay behind._

_All I have to do is wait. _He said back on the bed, gathering the covers up about his legs, as he drew his knees in close. He would wait, and wait, and wait, even if it took a million years. Someone would come for him.

He told himself he wasn't scared, repeated it over and over inside of his head. But it didn't work. He was scared. And the longer he sat there, replaying the events from the night the man took him away, the more frightened he became.

_He might have killed Fenrir…._he remembered how bravely Fenrir had fought, like he was a full grown wolf, as big and strong as Obi, and for a moment Ngozi was proud, before he recalled the noises Fenrir had made when the man had kicked him.

_Fenrir…_

Fenrir was his best friend, and he might have lost him.

_And mother…_She was always so worried when Ngozi seemed to disappear, even though he was always right within her reach. He hated to see the look on her face when she'd thought he was lost.

_Now she will look for me and I won't be there. _

And his father. _How am I supposed to take care of mother when I'm here and not at home…?_

His father would be disappointed in him for not being there.

He started to cry, the tears running down his cheeks in pools. He could not remember the last time he cried, having decided he was no longer going to cry after witnessing his mother holding back her own tears. He'd always reasoned that if she could do it, then he could. He would be strong like his father, without fear or weakness.

The door opened and a woman appeared in the doorway. She was pretty, with long brown hair and eyes that reminded Ngozi of a deer.

" Oh no. Oh. No. There will be none of that." She came and sat next to him on the bed. Her hand found his shoulder, and he flinched away from her foreign touch. "Don't cry."

" Where am I?" Ngozi sniffed. She'd left the door open in her haste to comfort him.

_I can escape…I just have to get past her…_

" You are safe now," she said patting his back. " There is no longer any need to be afraid. We will take care of you."

" I want to go home," Ngozi said. He pressed his face into her lap, and twisted his arms under hers.

" This is your home now," she said.

" I am hungry," Ngozi said.

" I knew you would be," she said standing. "Come. We're find you something good to eat." She held out her hand to him, and he took it, tightening his grip on her hand at the last second and using her arm as a brace as he leapt to the open door.

She called out after him but he ignored her as he darted out into the open hall. The walls were burgundy and gold, and lined with strange paintings of white men he'd never seen before.

He continued to run, barefoot down the hall, passing room after room, as he searched for a way outside. He came to flight of stairs and he barreled down them, caring nothing for the noise he was making.

A door came into view the closer he got to the bottom, next to it a window made of many panes, which revealed the courtyard outside. A giant fish pond, in its middle the statue of a man on a horse, a sword in his hand.

_I'm almost there…_

Suddenly a hand found the back of his neck and he was jerked back suddenly. His feet left the ground, and he scrambled, struggling to move forward against the strength of the grip.

" Well. Well what have we here? The little savage is trying to escape."

" Let me go!" Ngozi shouted.

A group white men appeared in his view then, some young, some old, all standing around a table cluttered with maps and figures.

" Rebecca. I thought I told you to handle this." The man shook Ngozi, so hard his teeth chattered in his skull.

The doe eyed woman bowed. Short of breath she said, " I am sorry. He ran before I could stop him."

" Do not let it happen again. I would hate to have to take the little savage off your hands." He threw Ngozi at her feet. " Now take him away. We will deal with this little incident later."

" Yes sir. Come along now." She tried to grab Ngozi. He pushed her hands away.

" No." Ngozi said.

The man he was holding him turned. He had auburn brown hair and eyes the color of the sky.

" No?" He repeated the word as if it were foreign to him. "And why ever not?"

The men at the table had stopped working, their gazes turned to Ngozi and the man with eyes like the sky.

" I don't have to listen to you," Ngozi said. "My father is a strong warrior. He's going to come here and kill you all. Just wait and see."

"A warrior you say?" The man smiled.

Ngozi nodded. "The strongest there is."

" Ah.." he man said. "I see." The man walked to the table, his hand falling on one of the items there, before he came back around to face Ngozi. "Then how would you explain this?"

The man held out his father's hidden blade. For a long moment, Ngozi oculd not believe what he was seeing. His father never took off his hidden blade, even when he was without his robe, his blade was always on his person. He'd let Ngozi hold it twice, wear it once. Ngozi still remembered the small smile on his father's face, as Ngozi had attempted to desperately make the large leather band fit around his small wrist, before giving up and declaring he would be bigger than his father one day, big enough to wear it.

But now that it was no longer on his father's wrist. That could only mean…

_SMACK. _

Ngozi fell to the ground. He could taste blood, and feel his cheek swelling.

" You little barbarian," the doe eyed woman yelled. "How dare you disrespect him, after he was gracious enough to spare your life, and the life of your whore mother."

He'd never been hit that hard before, not even by Brianna when he did something bad.

It hurt. But not as much as the realization that his father was dead.

The man said something else and the woman replied, but Ngozi could barely hear it over the rush of blood in his ears, and the stinging in his cheek.

Faintly he was aware of someone dragging him away. He glanced up, through burry tear filled eyes, taking in the faces of each and every one of the men, before his gaze finally fell on a large flag, sewed onto it, the imprint of a red cross.

* * *

**Dr. Lyle**

" For the pain I ended up having to give him a slight overdose of laudanum and opium," Dr. Lyle said folding his equipment into his bag. It was a good thing they found Connor when they had, or else he truly would have died from blood loss. It was surprising he was even alive now.

Dr. Lyle took in the sight of Uduak. She sat on the bed Connor lay on, his head cradled in her lap while he lay still and sleeping. It was her who'd forced him to drink the mixtures. Even half awake and injured he still managed to put up a fight, exclaiming that he did not need the medicines, and he could move without them.

It pained him to see her this way, faded and broken and to know there was nothing he could medically do for her.

"Brianna. May I speak to you outside," Dr. Lyle replied beckoning the older woman he follow him. She followed him without a word into the hall. " I am not sure if you already know. Considering your background in the field. But Uduak is pregnant."

" I know," Brianna said.

Dr. Lyle sighed. " Then you also must know, that it very likely, like all the others she will lose her child."

Brianna nodded.

Dr. Lyle continued. " My only fear is that considering her mental state at the moment, should she lose her child, she may-" he cut himself off. He did not need to finish the sentence for her to understand.

" Thank you Doctor," Brianna said nodding. She turned away from him.

" Wait," he called after her. He knew she was succinct, and at times extremely aloof, but he'd expected her to at least make a decision before completely disregarding him.

" I will handle," Brianna said.

Dr. Lyle sighed. There was nothing more he could say on the matter without being abruptly shut down.

" I will return in a hour," Dr. Lyle said. "Should he awake before then, send for me immediately, I will be at Mile's End."

Outside the homesteaders were still going about their daily business, but a sick sort of stillness fowled the air. Connor was injured, at any moment he could die, his son Ngozi missing and no one truly knew why.

Connor's life outside of the homestead was not one he openly popularized, and while a few of the homesteaders had a suspicion, it never went any further than that. All that mattered was that Connor was always there when they needed him, without complaint. Dr. Lyle could only guess the homesteaders wished to see the truth with their out eyes before accepting it without true cause.

What a bittersweet moment this must be for Uduak. She had her lover, but lost her son.

_She would know…_With the exception of perhaps Myriam, Uduak was the only person who knew Connor almost fully. _It is only expected…_They were in love after all, they had a son.

Dr. Lyle saw it, manifested in the way Connor stood, hovered protectively over Uduak and Ngozi ready to grab them at every wayward sound or sudden movement someone else made.

_And the way he looked at her…_One could think she was queen herself. Lyle had always noted that a man had either loved his wife more after she bared his first son, or hated her the same, there was never any in between.

_Ah…but they are not married are they…_

Lyle could only imagine how grand a celebration that would have been. It took weeks of preparation for Myriam's wedding. Were Connor and Uduak to be wedded, it would take months.

_Do I believe he will die? _Lyle had not stopped in the last week since Ngozi's disappearance to ask himself that question. Connor was a resilient young man, Lyle could not count the number of times he'd appeared at his doorstep, cut up, bruised, banged and broken, seeking medical attention, either by his own free will or the insistent demand of Uduak. And every single time he made a speedy recovery. There was never any doubt in Lyle's mind that he would not.

Did Lyle have questions to how Connor came upon some of his wounds? Of course he did. And sometimes he asked. And more often than not, he did not get a straight answer.

_No…I do not believe it…so there is no need to ask. _Lyle thought as he took the path leading to Mile's End instead of going home. He needed a drink to ease his mind.

Mile's End was half empty when he finally arrived. The men who sat inside, drank silently, a cloud of sadness over them, echoing the stillness of the homestead. Lyle took a seat at the bar, next to a younger fellow with auburn hair that curled about his head and face.

"Rum please," Lyle said.

"Delightful chaps aren't they?" The man beside him said. His accent was British and held a mocking amusing tone.

Lyle shook his head. "We have lost much in the past week. It is only expected."

"I am told," the man said turning to Lyle. His lips parted into a grin, "That even the wolves fell silent."

* * *

**Ok so a lot of stuff happened in this chapter, and it happened pretty fast. A lot of characters have been thrown around, some without names, others with noticeable features. I promise they all have a purpose other than to give you guys a headache. Not a lot of internal dialog for which I am sorry. There will be more next chapter I promise. I seriously just needed to get all this stuff out of the way. **

**So hairless Uduak...what do you guys think. I seriously could not get the image of Brittany Spears out of my mind while writing this. Hopefully my friend and I can finish the comic that is supposed to go with the next chapter, by next chapter. Fingers crossed. We are both super busy with College, so no promises, but we will try out best. I'm super excited to see what the both us can come up with in styling shaved Uduak. **

**Ok now for history stuff: **

******Laudanum- A combination of opium, morphine and codeine, that when administered was both a powerful pain reliever but a powerful narcotic as well.  
**

******Safe to say that medical practices during the 18th century weren't the best. You would likely die from infection from your wounds before you were healed. And really the only way to help a person with pain from surgery was to get the person drunk, or high, or just perform the surgery while they were still awake and hope they don't die. Most did.**

******Uduak's Mourning Rituals-So there is seriously a lot of information of Igbo mourning traditions. Most of which can be found on various websites to which I will post on my profile for you guys to read. Because Uduak has been separated from her tribe for so long and the people within it, her way of doing rituals is almost vastly different. Although some similarities remain. I.E. Head shaving, smearing the black dye all over he body, worshiping her Gods through statues. It's very elaborate and super involved. Check out my profile for links.**

******Hope you guys enjoyed. Now its time for me to get back to college work. Contrary to popular belief college is not as easy as everyone thinks. Its all papers, papers, and more papers, thesis, and assigned readings. Writing this is seriously like a breath of fresh air. **


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